I am going to be purchasing a new 15" MBP soon and with the help of the forums I've decided against the retina MBP. I have two primary questions about the 15".
Awesome! Yeah, I don't think you've made the wrong decision there.
1. I'm deciding between the 2.3 and 2.6 ghz i7 processors and was wondering if there will be any noticeable difference between the two? (Or a refurbished 2.5 ghz i7 processor?)
Between the 2.3GHz and the 2.6GHz Processors on the current 15" MacBook Pros, you won't notice much of a difference. The only thing different between those two processors is 300MHz, which doesn't matter anywhere near as much in either 2012 or 2013 as it did in 2000. If you were to go with a 2.6GHz model and then upgrade the CPU to 2.7GHz, there's be 2MB more of L3 Cache than you have in the 2.3GHz and 2.6GHz CPUs (which is why it's a $250 upgrade in and of itself). If you are doing lots of video work, the 2MB of Cache makes a difference.
As for the 2.5GHz processor in the refurbished model; make no mistake, even though we're talking about Quad-Core Core i7 processors, the 2.5GHz processor-based machine you cite is actually a high end version of the previous generation, both of Intel CPUs and of MacBook Pros. Of note, the 2.5GHz processor was, for its generation, the same thing that the 2.7GHz version of this generation is now, namely the high-end configure-to-order upgrade CPU with 8MB of cache instead of 6MB like the others in the same generation.
That all being said, if you wanted to save money, the 2.5GHz refurbished model is probably a fantastic deal and is quite respectable by today's standards. You miss out on USB 3.0, but if you don't care about that nor having the latest Intel CPUs (and mind you the differences between Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge are fairly modest), but that might be a very good deal for you given how useful 8MB of cache would likely be with your intended apps.
Really, long answer short, I wouldn't put much stock between the difference between the 2.3GHz and the 2.6GHz processors in the current machines. It's the 2.7GHz of current that makes the real difference, but for many, that kind of power is unnecessary.
2. Also will I notice any difference between the 650M with 512MB or the 650M with 1GB graphic cards? And will I notice any difference between the normal res screen and the hi-res screen?
As far as the VRAM difference between 512MB and 1GB with the same GPU, for the most part, no, you won't notice much of a difference. Some games stress video memory more than others. Minecraft certainly won't. If you plan on doing a lot of color correction in FCPX, I'd opt for the extra VRAM, and thusly either a 2.6GHz/2.7GHz machine of current, or the 2.5GHz refurbished machine you're also eyeing (as it also has 1GB of VRAM). Otherwise, 512MB of VRAM (instead of 1GB) on that card likely won't be all that noticable.
As far as which display you go with, I'd say you should get a high-res screen. Whether it's anti-glare or glossy is a personal preference. Personally, I much preferred getting a glossy display and then getting a matte screen protector for my own Mid 2012 15" MacBook Pro than I would've simply getting the matte screen, but I like the bezel design better on the glossy, plus I like the idea of having a protective layer of glass covering my LCD panel. But to each his or her own. Either way, the 1680x1050 resolution (which mind you is the same resolution you'd have had with any 20" iMac) is extremely nice and way nicer compared to the 1440x900 of the standard display and is definitely worth the extra money.
I'm going to get 8 gb of ram (and eventually upgrade it to 16gb) and a solid state drive no matter what. I'm going into my sophomore year of college in a broadcasting degree. I'll be using photoshop cs6 a lot (and proabably alot of the master collection), some FCPX, I do minor gaming (Minecraft map making), and the basic Facebook and Netflix stuff.
Thank you guys for the help!!
Just be warned that while the machine will take and recognize 16GB of RAM, Apple only supports 8GB. Really, all that means is that a lazy technician at either an AASP or an Apple Store can attribute whatever problem you might have to having an unsupported amount of RAM and tell you to eff off. You should keep your old RAM around just in case.
As for SSDs, the only annoying thing about using non-Apple SSDs is that Apple only has TRIM support enabled on Apple-supplied SSDs, so you'll have to install and run the TRIM enabler every time a major patch comes out so that you prolong the life of your SSD. No biggie at all, but still an annoyance that you should be mindful of.
Thank you very much for all of the help! Do you recommend the anti-glare option? I currently have a glossy MBP 13" and an Asus that is matte. So I'm used to both but I was leaning more towards the anti-glare for the 15".
Again, it's taster's choice. I like Matte, and I like the glass bezel (and cover) of the glossy, so I opted for the best of both worlds and got a screen protector. If you can't be bothered with any of that, the anti-glare display is the way to go. Either way, if given an option, I'd go with a 1680x1050 screen rather than a 1440x900, especially if you're going to be doing the kind of work with this machine that you're talking about here.
