The apple store has on refurb the 2011 MBP for 1359 Base Model and also the 2012 MBP for 1529 Base Model.......Are there any major differences in the two machines. I will use the internet email and play, watch video and play some games
The 2012 version is obviously slightly faster in terms of CPU power, however based on what you're doing you probably won't utilize all the power of the CPU. Unless you plan on using professional film, image, or sound applications, the older model will be fine for years to come.