A question about companies' 2nd & 3rd Tier products

[RomulanSpy]

For example: Payne or Armstrong compared to Carrier & Lennox.

I've read that the lower-level systems (for the most part) have yesterday's technology. Now its seems to this novice, that yesterday's technology MAYBE more proven than the cutting-edge systems on the market today.
Of course, all systems carry a warranty, so that's not a concern, but what is, is downtime in the middle of a heatwave if I do going w/the cutting edge product.

My wife is a teacher, and she has a Payne installed and shared between 2 rooms. Crappy install but it still been reliable over the years. Before that, she was in a different room, and had bleeding-edge tech Lennox installed and there seemed to always be issues.

So in a nutshell, I'm asking isn't yesterdays (proven) tech more reliable than today's High-eff, cutting-edge tech?

[beenthere]

Your thinking yesteryear tech, and confusing it with yesterday.

Get the best you can afford, afford what you get.

[small change]

Everyone needs are very different

Here in NE Ohio 13 seer does very well because our collective cooling season is not as extended as say a Florida/ Houston / New Orleans where a higher seer a/c would be a greater need

Quality Installation of any system is key

Back 30 plus years ago when I broke into the field My Dad always used a fusible disconnect, Triple evacuated, Always used a Liquid Line filter Drier, also used some sort of Time Delay Relay every time and you know what...Those units lasted 20 plus years if the consumer wanted them to.

Some Of those units were Amana, Ruud, Armstrong, Slant Top Moncriefs (okay more than 30)Janitrol, Williamson.

Today we continue to Install Armstrong, Ruud, Weatherking and those units installed correctly will run for a long life.

Kudos to those Trane Carrier Lennox dealers because installed correctly those units will also last a long life.

You will find cutting edge technology in systems and you will find systems that will serve you well that do not have the same technology

Really,.....Have it Installed properly and it will serve you well