It does highlight the fact that Dream Theater, with all their skills and technique, have songwriting skills to back them up, and always have. While I am not the biggest fan of the Mangini era, I'll still listen to those albums, even The Astonishing, over much of MP's own projects since his departure, I admit I haven't heard every album by every band MP has formed since 2010, either. Most of what he's been involved with that I listen to more frequently are projects related to DT (LTE3, Terminal Velocity) or involving those who can write good music (Neal Morse, TA, Roine Stolt, etc..) and he had been working with them when he was in DT as well. So to me, no project created since his leaving the band has left a memorable impression on me, aside from a few tracks from Flying Colors; and The Neal Morse Band is more than just Neal solo, that's a band with input from all members, so that's a good new band. They really are Spock's Theater, with the guitarist Eric Gillette bringing in JP-isms previously unheard on Neal Morse albums, but without being a JP clone and having his own style.
To me, much of his projects over the last 10-12 years seem like hooking up with any working musician that MP had communication with and was available just because MP was "out of a job", and putting out some sounds for the sake of it, instead of there being more natural connection or gelling of the musicians to create something cool, creative, and new.
I always hoped MP would form the Mike Portnoy Group (MPG) featuring a lineup of great musicians but whom could write music and collaborate with Mike and his creative vision (something which can only take you so far depending on the wealth of creative ideas the other musicians have)