I’m in a similar position.
I’ve got a very nice carbon bike, from 10 years ago. It’s doing its job very well, but I’ve got that nagging at the back of my mind.
It started: “maybe i should get new wheels”
But my bike is campag, so if i were to upgrade later, i’d be stuck to campag (if i wanted to reuse these nice new wheels)
Also, my bike has rim brakes - so, we are now looking at campy/rim combo.
And the whole can of worms was opened from now on.
In the end, my bike is an endurance type bike. I will stick with it for 2020, and, if in 21, I get the motivation to start racing, I will buy myself a race bike.
There. Logic!
Fit and comfort are one and the same. Vital to efficiency across the power duration curve. Essential to allow a rider to ride enough to force adaptation to truly become faster. How a bike handles could be rolled into comfort as well and is a function of geometry and fit yet always seem to not get talked about compared to stiffness and aero. Both red herrings IMO/E. Or at least way over marketed.
Beyond that, it’s all about contact points, clean well running drive train, good rubber and good bearings.
mmmmmmm… new bike… 
Not necessarily.
For longer rides and events, absolutely, comfort is essential. But for shorter races, comfort takes a backseat IMHO, and you can get a fit for a more aggressive position.
But I agree with your larger point: comfort plays a huge role, and bikes like BMC’s Teammachine show us that you can combine comfort and fit.
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Another consideration is what sort of riding you do and therefore what sort of ‘faster’ bike you are aiming for - then followed by your other areas of potential gains that may work out better / cheaper than a new bike.
Example in point, I am heavy (some might say a fatty!) and so if I wanted to buy a new bike to make me faster on the hills I’d be far better off just investing my effort in a better healthier diet, as a new lightweight climbing bike would be quite expensive and the weight saving would be small compared to how much weight I could drop with more focus.
Conversely, if I wanted a new bike to make me faster on the flats or in high speed racing then aside from weight loss, an aero road bike would be better (position / wheels / tubing) than my current relaxed frame bike, but again would be expensive compared to the relatively cheaper gains I could get from adjusting my current fit / buying some aero kit and helmet etc.
Having said all of this, if you are actually looking for a new bike anyway, just because you want a new bike, then that’s also a good enough reason - if like most people you work hard for your income then it’s a nice thing to appropriately treat yourself and if you can afford it you can do all the aforementioned other’ things as well to compound the benefit of an aero or lightweight new machine.
If you’re on a budget, the previous advice or considering a new wheel set for your existing ride may be a good compromise too.
Post back here with a photo of your new steed once you’ve made your choice and picked it up 
I got about 7.37 watts from upgrading to Supacaz bar tape. It has stars on it.
Another 2.18 watts from getting some oilslick-colored titanium bolts for my water bottle cages.
I was motoring down the mup and some lady on a ebike was facetime grandkids or something and I dropped her like Bjarne Riis going up the Hautacam.
Always get the new bike. I could probably be pro-conti if I got a carbon, disc brake new bike by now.
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