I have the new model and no experience with the old one. As far as I know, the new model has Hall effect sensors instead of potentiometers. They are supposed to be more precise, have a higher resolution and should be more durable. From my experience with other controllers, potentiometers like in the old model actually get problems over time because they get dirty and then have contact problems. That's why the longevity seems plausible to me. I like the new model. The control inputs are much finer to control compared to what I had before (Saitek control horn). Of course, I can't say whether there are any differences between the old and new models in terms of finer control.
