... It will be a chunk of money for me, but if I'm spending $$, I don't want to look at a TV for the next 10+ years thinking "I'm not really happy with the picture. I wish I'd bought a better one."
That is the way we roll in our house. My wife and I dont have the TV running all day long or even in the evening until later at night. We love watching movies, limited series and rent an occasional Blu ray (but is becoming rare now, rather rent a streaming movie)
Anyway, long story short, we like to buy quality things, doesnt mean it's the most expensive. TV is entertainment for us, so why would I care if I spend an extra $600 for something we enjoy? Heck, some people spend that at one sports event for an evening and a TV is for years of entertainment.
We always purchased well reviewed TVs for our main room.
We reviewed TVs in the $1,500 to $2,000 price range some years ago. Bought a Sony X900 and were thrilled with the almost 3d like quality of the picture. Cost was $1,599 on sale and now I think the new version is around $1,300 or so.
The competition is tough between the major producers in this range, Samsung, LG and Sony, some other lessor known brand also make some well reviewed high end sets like Vizio. We chose the Sony based on a range of different reviews. Does any product always excel in all areas? Of course not, chose what works for you. Some of it even comes down to the style of what is mounted on your wall.
So for our main TV I could care less about the cost in the $1,500 range, just give me a drop dead nice looking picture, quality look and feel of the unit itself and reputation of a well constructed brand and not a TV that is produced by a sub contractor.
I also do NOT allow myself to get caught up with the latest marketing buzz words.
One of the biggest scams was Samsungs trademarking the name QLED. People actually thought they were getting OLED TVs or something special (even in this forum). It wasnt really a scam, just brilliant marketing by Samsung on a scale unseen in marketing!
No one knows that Sony developed that technology in or around 2013, it's just that Samsung thought of a brilliant name for it.
QLED is an LED, almost every manufacturer on earth has a modification with their LEDs. Samsung named theirs to sound and actually LOOK LIKE like the symbol OLED.
Its why I say ignore, even the latest mini LED, until proven otherwise, you would not see a difference from a few feet away and you still do not know how reliable they will be until everyone is using them.