Like I said I could be wrong. By upgrade do you mean the one with the new channel design? I havent looked at this one so your probrably right.
With a 3/8"NPT x 1/2"ID you wont see any reduction in the barb. It will be 3/8" all the way through. However I can do the same thing with 3/8"ID(1/2"OD) tubing.
The whole problem with barb fittings, is the barb goes INSIDE the tubing. So your flow is always going to be restricted. With the push-in type fittings, there is nothing inside the tubing to restrict flow.
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