Ya, I think it’s much better to be honest. I hate all the interpolation post processing crap too, but it just turn it all off. I found the old tv has a lot more light bleed from the back panel, and the newer tvs have blacker blacks and more contrast. I do think they are significant upgrades. But everything else is a major downgrade from the number of ports, the durability, the extra crap shoved down my throat, etc.
But if you use it just like a dumb monitor, it’s a great cheap tv.