I have a modern Regal dobro (Regal as a make has been around since the 1920s or 30s, though the original company went under long ago) that's just fine. It may be a better model than the ones you've seen (it cost more, that's for sure), but my guess is it's essentially the same.
My dobro-playing sidekick, Pete, has a genuine Dobro, made by the Dobro company, and he used to prefer using mine when we rehearsed at my house, so it holds its own with much more expensive instruments, that's for sure.