I have always said this: If you know the difference between a dual core Intel i5 and i7 and you still feel like you want/need the i7 then get the i7 and do not listen to anyone else.
Truthfully, most people have no idea what the difference is, hence the 3 page thread on i5 vs i7. A faster processor with extra cache will always be faster but in this configuration, the difference that most people will notice is quite small, unless you are doing CPU intense tasks for a measurable amount of time (more than 1 minute, such as rips, renders, compiles, etc.)
Save the $ and get the 256GB SSD, that upgrade will double your write speed!
Truthfully, most people have no idea what the difference is, hence the 3 page thread on i5 vs i7. A faster processor with extra cache will always be faster but in this configuration, the difference that most people will notice is quite small, unless you are doing CPU intense tasks for a measurable amount of time (more than 1 minute, such as rips, renders, compiles, etc.)
Save the $ and get the 256GB SSD, that upgrade will double your write speed!