Virtually any scope should be able to do what you're asking since even cheap scopes usually hold zero and can handle .223 recoil. There are some important differences between cheap scopes and good ones however. The most important IMO is glare. Cheap scopes tend to light up like light bulbs when they are pointed anywhere near the sun. It really sucks when you're trying to shoot something and you can't see it. Cheap scopes adjustments also aren't always uniform or repeatable. Set it on target and leave it there and you're fine, try to adjust it regularly and you'll likely be frustrated. Cheap scopes often can't take punishing recoil. When you zoom in with a cheap scope the zero can sometimes shift slightly.
Clarity and light gathering? Honestly I can't notice that much difference. I once lined up about 13 different scopes ranging from a 4x20mm Crosman to a 10x Springfield and a pair of 3-9x Leupolds. I also had Barska's, Simmons, a Bushnell, a BSA and a Tasco and what I did was sight them in on distant objects and try to make out small details. As the sun went down I did the same thing and except for the Crosman which was a bona fide POS, there wasn't a whole lot of difference. If the power setting was the same, I could see the same details with the BSA as I could with the Leupold and it was pretty much the same with light gathering.
