Backing off a bit should only really be needed by either worn or misadjusted derailleurs. Modern derailleurs work really well and there's not a huge difference

Backing off a bit should only really be needed by either worn or misadjusted derailleurs. Modern derailleurs work really well and there's not a huge difference between top and bottom ranges for the major manufacturers. Most of the difference is lighter weight, better manufacturing tolerances and often the number of gears. Misadjustment is more common for the cheaper ranges as the bikes will often not be as well maintained as the expensive ones.