This lens is for convenience. It is not bad: good enough for printing out to 16" (or even larger). So ask youself, how many times do you need to print larger than 16"?
The 2-3 times zoom is for professional lenses at f/2.8. The lens makers just cannot make larger zoom ranges at f/2.8 at reasonable size/weight/cost. For f/4 lenses, it is possible for zoom ranges to go up to 4x, such as Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS. So do not look at how many times the zoom is, but look at its aperture instead.
The 2-3 times zoom is for professional lenses at f/2.8. The lens makers just cannot make larger zoom ranges at f/2.8 at reasonable size/weight/cost. For f/4 lenses, it is possible for zoom ranges to go up to 4x, such as Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS. So do not look at how many times the zoom is, but look at its aperture instead.