It’s that time of year. You’re thinking about holiday gifts, birthday presents, or just a significant purchase for your family. And you’re looking at prices.
The latest iPhone models in Georgia start from around 2,649 GEL with trade-in, with newer models ranging up to 3,000-4,000 GEL. A PlayStation 5 in Georgia costs around 1,499 GEL for the disc version, though prices vary by retailer.
A quality 3D printer? 2,550 GEL for excellent beginner models.
Similar price range. Completely different outcomes.
Let me show you why one of these purchases changes everything.
What You Get For Your Money
The New Phone: You upgrade. It’s faster. The camera is better. You scroll more efficiently. In two years, you’ll need another one. You’ve spent 3,000-4,000 GEL and gained… a slightly better device for doing what you already do.
The PlayStation: Entertainment. Games. Fun for sure. Your kids play for hours. But after those hours, what remains? The experience was had, the time was spent, and you’ll eventually buy the next generation console.
The 3D Printer: You create educational tools your children actually use. You print replacement parts instead of buying new products. You design custom gifts that people treasure. You solve problems around your house. You teach your kids engineering, design, problem-solving. You might even start a side business.
One purchase consumes. One entertains. One creates.
The Real Cost Comparison
Let’s be honest about actual expenses over two years:
Phone:
- Device: 3,500 GEL (mid-range new iPhone)
- Case, screen protector, accessories: 100 GEL
- Total: ~3,600 GEL
- What you have after 2 years: An aging phone worth maybe 1,000 GEL
PlayStation 5:
- Console: 1,499 GEL
- Extra controller: 150 GEL
- 4-5 games at 100-150 GEL each: 600 GEL
- PlayStation Plus subscription: 150 GEL/year x 2 = 300 GEL
- Total: ~2,549 GEL
- What you have after 2 years: A console, some games, memories of play
3D Printer (Beginner Model):
- Printer: 2,550 GEL
- Filament for 2 years (1kg/month): 480 GEL
- Total: ~3,030 GEL
- What you have after 2 years: Working printer, skills, library of designs, dozens of created objects still in use
The 3D printer costs about the same as the PlayStation setup, and less than upgrading to a new iPhone.
But Here’s What the Numbers Don’t Show
My son’s story isn’t unique. That summer I was dreading – him lost in games for three months – transformed when we got our 3D printer. Not because we banned gaming, but because something more compelling appeared.
He went from consuming entertainment to creating solutions. From passive screen time to active making. From “I’m bored” to “I’m designing something.”
Would a new phone have done that? Would a PlayStation?
What Gets Created
In our first year with a 3D printer, we made:
Educational tools: Math manipulatives for my younger child, alphabet letters they could trace, counting objects themed to their interests
Practical solutions: Replacement parts for broken toys, custom organizers, furniture fixes, phone stands, cable management
Gifts: Custom keychains, personalized ornaments, unique pieces that cost pennies in material but meant everything to recipients
Learning experiences: My son designed, troubleshot, iterated, problem-solved – real STEM education happening naturally
Could we have bought all these things? Some of them, yes. But at what total cost? And would purchased items have taught the same lessons about design, engineering, and creative problem-solving?
The Social Element
“But PlayStation is social! Kids play together online!”
True. And I’m not anti-gaming. But consider this:
With our 3D printer, my son started a small business. He talks to customers. He problem-solves their needs. He manages production and delivery. He handles money and customer service.
My daughter prints gifts for friends and watches their faces light up at something custom-made just for them.
The whole family gathers around watching a print complete, discussing what to make next, collaborating on designs.
This is social too. Just differently.
The Phone Trap
We keep upgrading because we feel we must. Phone prices in Georgia continue climbing – newer models easily reaching 3,000-4,000 GEL. The cycle is endless.
But does your child’s development really require the latest iPhone? Or do they need tools that teach them to make, create, and solve problems?
I’m not saying don’t buy phones. We all need them. But when it’s a gift, a special purchase, a “big item” – what actually adds value to your child’s development?
The Entertainment Question
“But kids need entertainment! 3D printing sounds like work!”
My kids think watching prints complete is entertainment. They think designing something new is entertainment. They think solving how to make their design actually work is entertainment.
It’s engagement, not just distraction.
PlayStation provides hours of fun. Absolutely. But 3D printing provides hours of fun plus skills, plus useful objects, plusconfidence that comes from making things work.
For Parents Specifically
If you’re a parent considering these purchases:
Phone upgrade: Your teen probably doesn’t need the flagship 3,500+ GEL model. A mid-range phone does everything they need. The 1,000-1,500 GEL you save could buy a 3D printer.
Gaming console: If you’re already planning to buy one, consider: could a 3D printer alongside or instead of provide more long-term value?
3D printer: The same money as that PlayStation setup with games. But it teaches, creates, and keeps delivering value for years.
The Real Question
It’s not really about which device costs what.
It’s about what happens in your home after the purchase.
After you buy the phone: Your teen has a nicer device for social media and photos.
After you buy the PlayStation: Your family has new entertainment options and some quality gaming time together.
After you buy the 3D printer: Your home becomes a place where ideas become real. Where “I wish we had…” becomes “Let’s make…”. Where broken doesn’t mean replaced. Where gifts are personal and meaningful. Where kids learn that they can design solutions to problems.
The Investment That Teaches
Here’s what a 3D printer taught my children that phones and gaming consoles couldn’t:
- Problem-solving: When a design doesn’t work, figure out why
- Iteration: First versions often fail; that’s part of the process
- Spatial reasoning: Thinking in three dimensions
- Patience: Good things take time to create
- Economics: Understanding material costs, pricing, profit margins
- Customer service: If you sell what you make, you learn to serve clients
- Confidence: “I made this” is powerful
These lessons have value far beyond the $400 we spent on the printer.
What About Both?
Maybe you’re thinking: why not both? Get the phone upgrade and the 3D printer. Or the PlayStation and the printer.
If budget allows, great. But if you’re choosing, consider which purchase teaches, creates, and compounds value over time.
The Holiday Gift Philosophy
Traditional holiday gifts are consumed. The toy breaks. The game gets beaten. The clothes are outgrown. The experience ends.
A 3D printer is different. It’s the gift that keeps creating. Every month, it makes new things. Every project teaches new skills. Every solution it prints saves money and teaches resourcefulness.
My son’s summer transformation wasn’t unique. It’s what happens when kids have access to creation tools instead of just consumption tools.
The Honest Assessment
I’m not saying 3D printers are perfect. They require supervision for young kids. Prints fail sometimes. There’s a learning curve. Filament costs add up if you print constantly.
But phones break. They become obsolete. They encourage passive consumption.
Gaming consoles do the same. Fun? Absolutely. Educational? Sometimes. Life-changing? Rarely.
A 3D printer sits in the same price range as these devices. But what it teaches, what it enables, what it creates – that’s incomparable.
The Choice
This holiday season, you’re probably going to spend 2,500-3,500 GEL on something significant for your family. A phone. A gaming console. Some major purchase.
Before you do, ask yourself: Five years from now, what will that purchase have created in your home?
Will it have created hours of entertainment? Probably.
Will it have created skills, confidence, solutions, and a mindset of making rather than consuming?
That’s what a 3D printer does.
Similar price. Different outcome.
The question isn’t whether you can afford a 3D printer. You’re already planning to spend that money. The question is: what do you want that money to create?
Ready to explore 3D printers for your family? Contact us to discuss which model fits your needs and budget.
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