In the same boat. My 2007 MBP's display is dying. I do a lot of document work and Netflix. Worried about the loss of the DVD drive too? Is there a recommended refurb year that's better?
Hate to say it, but I will be surprised if we see any increases in capability. Look at what the last gen brought:
-Thinner
-Lighter
-Non-symetrical polygonal packaging
-Inability to install RAM in lower models
-Removal of DVD-R
-SD card moved to back
Only time will tell what Apple rolls out next. I'm really looking forward to it, as I definitely need a bigger screen and more speed than this 13" cMBP I'm coding on. Hopefully, it's all that and a bag of chips. Amaze us, Apple!