Depending on what new bicycle you choose, you can bet your boots that it will be easier to use. Handlebar mounted indexed shifting, as opposed to friction or even indexed down tube shifters. Brakes of today are greatly superior, in function, than yesteryear. As for ride quality or would you enjoy the ride, that I cannot comment on.
As for me, I have owned, built up and ridden both vintage road bicycles, mountain bicycles and even a roadster, or two. I opt for the vintage road bicycle ride quality every time. However, when it comes to the bike that is easiest to use - for me, and best to ride - for me, my newer Cyclops is the winner, by far, and it is fitted with mostly new school, easy to use stuff...
I also upgraded this early eighties Bianchi, installing indexed bar end shifters, appropriate derailleurs, eight speed chain, and aero light pull levers. This was a relatively inexpensive upgrade, except for the wheel set, which set me back close to three hundred dollars, and I built the wheels myself...
In the OP's case, I would keep the Univega as original as possible, until a later date, and then get a new bike to ride. Any decision to keep the new one and sell the old one, or visa versa, can be addressed when the need arises.
And that is how N+1 starts:-(