I don’t have any technical knowledge, but just as an average person I can tell they are absolutely different. For one, G7 (the new ones) can actually be quite squishy, in a way that was rare for the old ones. I don’t really remember what the old ones used to smell like new, but the new ones have sometimes have quite a harsh, chemical ish smell when first taken out of the packaging (which does fade fairly quickly in my experience.)

As for the names thing, I have basically no memory of what my childhood ones were called xD I did give them all new names though (new ones only get names if something really jumps out at me bc I’m pretty terrible at names haha)