"Interesting if pretentious" and the like

[Vibovit]

Hello
my question refers to phrases such as
"interesting if pretentious"
"great, if expensive"
etc.

They sound a bit paradoxical to me, but I obviously take them as ellipsis:

"interesting, if pretentious" = "interesting [even] if pretentious"

The question is - do the sentences above mean exactly the same?
Or does skipping "even" alter the meaning somehow.

 

[Anglika]

There is no change in meaning.

 

[David L.]

or
if ='despite being'