Macbook...
-price
-keyboard
-stays cooler than the pro
Macbook Pro...
-bigger screen
-better speakers
I'm an MBP-owner myself – had to get that out of the way.
Anyway, as always, caveat emptor, and some will disagree.
Keyboard:
I find the keyboard on the MBP nicer to write on than the MB. It could be a preference thing, but if you write a lot, I'd say the MBP has a better keyboard than the MB. But then again, a thinkpad has a much better keyboard than any Mac. Worth the extra dough? Could be, depending what you need it for.
Speakers?
Who cares. Even if the MBP has much "better" speakers than the MB, they're both crap. It's just a matter of one of them being more crap than the other. That's how it goes on any and all laptops. Certainly not worth the extra money.
Screen, glossy or matte?
Although a blank screen will always impress when watching videos or pictures, it will be tiresome in the long run. I could live with a stationary computer having a glossy screen, as I could set it up, so there would be no reflections. Not so with a laptop. Even if you don't do video or photo editing, this has to be considered. I prefer the picture to be as close to the original as possible, with no "saturation" caused by the glossy screen. But then again, when I listen to music I never use an equalizer, and I'm quite happy with my (audio) monitors and monitor headphones.
Btw. I think you can get a "screen protector" or something, that will make your glossy screen into a matte. At least someone around here said so.
Screen real estate:
This is something to think about. But it all depends on what you will be using it. I use mine for internet, mail and whatever other average people do (we're all average one way or the other, right?), but I also use it for editing (audio, mostly), so I like the extra real estate. Again, it depends what you will be using it for.
"staying cooler":
Unless you get one of the duds, even though the MBP will be warmer to the touch, the MB's insides will be warmer (it's because of the alu case).
Express card and other i/o:
There are simply more ports, including an expresscard slot on the MBP.
Build quality:
The MBP seems to suffer greatly from shoddy build quality. The MB not so much.
Now, with all that said (sorry about the length of this post), unless you actually will be needing any of those things the MBP offers, don't buy it. It's a waste of money.
When I say "need", I don't mean "want", or "would be great to have, just in case", or "It would be so great, if I could find a use for that expresscard slot or something".
Conclusion: All in all, I don't think you have a "need" for the MBP, because if you did, you'd already know that you wouldn't be able to do your work (or hobby) on the MB without suffering in useability. Who gives a hoot about "prestige" (as someone did)? If anything, you buying the RIGHT computer for your needs shows that you're not an idjit when it comes to money.
At least that's my take on it.
