Originally Posted by tempocyclist

I used to think the exact same thing, until I bought a Tacx NEO smart trainer...

It's totally up to you and your situation of course and a "classic" trainer can certainly do the job if you simply want a decent workout or training session. A smart trainer gives a whole other level of immersive experience. Syncing on-screen gradient changes to automatic resistance changes really does make a difference to the overall experience. Plus you could use ERG mode for workouts also.

Whether that's worth the upgrade is entirely personal. There are some cheaper model wheel-on smart trainers available now that do a decent job and can still be packed away easily.