This just about clinches it. If the non-retina 15" MBP does NOT have a 1920x1080 or 1920x1200 option, I'm getting a 17" MBP MD311LL/A while I can.
1680x1050 is close, but not good enough. The retina MBP is just 1440x900 actual real estate, and apps have to be updated for retina otherwise they'll look like crap. No thanks. Maybe in a generation or two I'll jump, or when Apple lowers RAM prices.
Disappointing. Especially if the RAM is soldered in the retina MBP. This may be my final Mac for a while. I hate that the 17" is now gone.
At this point, I hope I don't know what I'm talking about and my opinions are wrong. I hope I'm misunderstanding something.