Hopefully the long-life motor is the biggest difference, but I’m not buying both to compare and hope I don’t have to find out how long of a life it has anytime soon

The cheaper seems quite comparable with the same weight and decibel. Only difference I see in the description is:
Airflow is 3.10 CFM at 40 PSI and 2.20 CFM at 90 PSI on cheaper
Vs
Airflow is 4.00 CFM at 40 PSI and 3.00 CFM at 90 PSI
Both have fast fill and recovery times, I would recommend either one.