The original poster was asking about low-end machines, and I don't have experience with those, as my last low end machine was bought in 1977 or so, and sold a few years ago (still working...should have kept it.)
I can comment on brand loyalty, though. When looking for my current machine (Brother VQ-3000) I started out sure I wanted another Viking, as I'd really enjoyed my Rose until she developed some terminal diseases. Found out that, while my Rose (circa 2001) was made in Sweden and was an excellent machine, the Vikings now are made in Asia and the quality is very different.
So it's a case, high end or low, of sewing on the machines and seeing which you like. Unfortunately, buying by Internet or in a big-box or discount store, that's usually impossible.