If you want a real looking tree and have the $$, check out Balsam Hill. For $19 they have a branch sample kit to check out (website says those are sold out at the moment however)- We bought one this year and really like the thing. However-- this tree, a 'full', is essentially the same size as our last tree, but it takes up twice as much box space because it's so 'substantial'.

FWIW, a month ago I was in Home Depot, they had a tree, believe it was made by GE- very realistic, and if you're into light shows, the thing had 8-color LED's and a zillion light show 'patterns'- I watched the thing for 15 minutes and it never once repeated a show-pattern, and all of them were subtle and fun to watch, and nothing to set off an epileptic seizure...