17" or 15" AG ??

[g-bomber]

Hi, I have decided to buy a Macbook pro and am torn between the 15" and 17" i7 AG models.

Will be using the laptop mainly for programming, casual gaming, and some light photo and music editing - only have 6 months more of uni so portability is not essential

Need help on the following :

-How much more screen real-estate does the 17" have than the hires 15" ?
-Is there a performance or battery life difference between the two? ( real world battery life experiences would be appreciated)
-Any differences in the comfort levels when typing? (I couldnt test out using the laptops on my lap in the store)

I have been able to compare the base glossy models in a local retailer and 17" screen is just amazing!

 

[Hellhammer]

-How much more screen real-estate does the 17" have than the hires 15" ?

17" provides ~27% more screen estate (in pixels)

-Is there a performance or battery life difference between the two? ( real world battery life experiences would be appreciated)

17" has little bit better battery but I don't know by how much. We aren't talking about hours though, maybe 15mins