Advice needed on new MBP 15 - is it that cheap?

MacMall is a certified Apple retailer, and it's definitely a legitimate model- just google it and you get 20,000+ hits.

The cheapness is no doubt due to MacMall trying to discharge an excess of stock to clear up space for new notebook refreshes that everybody knows are coming this summer. A lot of the other third party sites are offering deep discounts on MBPs as well. It's just a good time to buy. If it's what you want, I say jump on it.

 

Apple has hundreds of model numbers that aren't listed on that page, because each time you have a different configuration of RAM, HD, Processor, Matte/Glossy, you have a different model number. There are a lot more than two models for an entire release. If you scroll down the list of computers here, every one of them has a different model number www.macmall.com/s?prc=[1000.00%20TO%20999999999.00]

I'm still not sure what you're afraid of exactly- If you click on the Technical Specs from your MacMall link it gives you all the relevant details and specs, the exact same as the other link you sent. It's the current model, mid-2012, and you can build the exact same computer with same specs by going to the Apple store right now.