At $1,199 to start, the new MacBook Air costs $200 more than the previous base model of the MacBook Air.
Why does it cost $200 more? It's certainly not a measure of the internal specs, or the new screen — it's because Apple can.
There are comparable Windows-based laptops with great screens and more powerful internals than the new MacBook Air, and I could've bought those. I thought a lot about buying an HP x360 — they're quite nice!
But my workflow is based around the Apple operating system, OS X, and I've been using Apple laptops for over 10 years. I have a PC at home and, frankly, I prefer OS X. So my options are slim.
I'm not saying the new MacBook Air isn't worth the money — I'm beyond happy with my purchase. I'm saying that it's worth the money to me emotionally, but on paper I know it's a ripoff. Paying $200 for 8 GB of RAM is highway robbery. Don't even get me started on what Apple's charging for more internal storage!