It's also implied, but never stated, that the Garlean race as a whole does all it does to compensate for being disadvantaged on a genetic level compared to the other races of Hydaelyn. They didn't become technologically advanced for the sake of Evil™, they did it because they had to. They make the best airships because travel is a lot more complicated for them without being able to hop between Aetherytes. Their mechs are so advanced because they can't make golems, arcanima, etc. Even their advanced weaponry exists to make up for their inability to use even the simplest attack magic.