New Air vs Refurb?

I'm looking at the new MBA with ivy core i5, and a refurb (Jul 2011) with sandy core i7. My question is: given the specs, which ultimately nets me a better/longer lasting computer? I want this thing to be around for a while, and with the specs listed below, they are approximately the same price.

New:
ivy core i5
8GB ram
128GB flash
Intel HD Graphics 4000

Refurb:
sandy core i7
4GB ram
256GB flash
Intel HD Graphics 3000

Help!

Thank you! So the lower Ivy Bridget (Core i5) is still better than the higher Sandy Bridge (Core i7)?

RocketRed said:

ivy core i5
8GB ram
128GB flash
Intel HD Graphics 4000

- Memory can be substituted with an external hard drive
- 8 GB ram is a better investment in the long run than 4 GB ram
- Ivy Bridge > Sandy Bridge
- USB 3.0 > USB 2.0

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