MACBOOK PRO 2.6Ghz 8GB RAM 750 GB(Upgraded MBP 2012) an alternate for RETINA MBP 15 or NOT?How good is its potential, reliability ?

Question

I am a student and an aspiring filmmaker.I am also into digital cinematography (Canon 550D) and now will be venturing into editing. I am in DIRE NEED of help
I have a few problems regarding the purchase of Macbook pro.I live in Kolkata(India).I have been waiting for the past 1 and a half years to buy a Mac but after the release of Retina Macbook pro 15.I am left confused. Its near unupgradability and unreparibility rumors, delayed delivery, and 1st generation hardware issues especially the lack of Optical drive made me reconsider my decision of buying one.
I want to know whether I can go for the top model of Non Retina - 2.6Ghz 8GB RAM 750 GB 1 GB Nvidea as an alternate choice for Retina MBP pro or NOT ?
I wanted to buy the Retina Base model. Though it is very recently launched and there is a big risk buying it because they say it is unrepairable and unfixable as 'everything is glued into the motherboard' dialogue scares me. Something goes wrong after purchase and they send it back to US, is what the Apple officials said. Moreover they don’t keep one on a demo at Apple stores in kolkata. I have searched almost everywhere and have been to many resellers in my city but no use.
NOW,I am very sceptical about custom ordering a Macbook 15 non retina with High-Res 1680X1050p from US.I don’t know how much custom duty or expenses I have to pay and is it safe or not. Time is also a factor. Sadly, I have to buy one in Kolkata (my city) it seems.
I am opting for Macbook Pro 15,2.6 Ghz,8GB RAM. Buying it for the sole purpose of editing(audio, video, photos).I need something which is fast along with a good screen size. My original decision was to buy the 17inch but after the launch of Retina and the upgraded 15 inch, I am only looking forward to the upgraded models. Many say 13 inch is fast, but it features a dual core with a maximum of 2.9Ghz clockspeed. I on the other hand want a quad core i7 with good upgradability options and a good screen size. The 13 inch may be a favorite for many, but I want nothing less than a 15 inch. One good option I get with non Retina 15 is its upgradability, while many say Retina MBP 15 can be made upgradable in future but that time is yet to come and by the time the whole web becomes ‘retina friendly’ and all applications supporting its 2880X1800 resolution, I may end up waiting only. Yes the picture quality remains unbeatable when compared to Retina Pro and it will always be. Though friends, I am a student, I want something which is fast, can run almost anything and future dependable. Retina Mac book Pro in India is 2799 USD - Base model. I cannot pay that amount just for the screen. As far as speed is concerned, I plan to get an OWC SSD and a 16 GB OWC RAM in the future resulting in greater speed when comparing the configuration with Retina 15.That problem is solved.
My problem here is this: The web is filled with reviews and videos of Retina Macbook Pro and the upgraded Macbook Pro 15 is just no where, if you even find a few videos, they only feature unboxing videos of Macbook pro 15 (i7-2.3Ghz-4GB-500GB-500MB Nvidea).Other videos compare the 2.3ghz model with Retina 15 pro. They are not elaborate like the 15 Retina Pro reviews.
I want to know about the real performance, potential, pros, cons of Macbook Pro 15 (i7 2.6Ghz 8GB RAM 750 GB 1GB Nvidea graphics).
So my question to you is what is your opinion on the 15 inch non retina ? HOW FAST do you think is the new upgraded 15inch non retina i7-2.6Ghz-8GB-750GB model really is ?I have read on many mac forums and seen on a particular youtube video that 15inch 2.3Ghz model takes an alarming 40 seconds to start because of traditional hard drive ! A normal DELL Inspiron starts at 15 secs max with i3+4 GB RAM and this particularly confuses me about the whole quad core processing and stuff and speed when running applications like C6,FCP,Lightroom etc is to be determined in regard to the model I want to buy.
A. Is it necessary to buy APPLE CARE WARRANTY when buying a laptop from Apple. What are the benefits and how is it different form the normal customer care ?
B. Please enlighten me on some nice headphones from Sennheizer under 90 USD.I am considering Sennheiser HD 439.I am not a bass freak and I want something to use for listening to voice, loud clear. In short, a headphone for all purpose. I heard the HD 449 is not that good compared to HD 439.They say it is Jazz oriented. Another confusion  !
Finally, If you know anyone who knows about this configuration (15inch 2.6 8GB RAM 750GB) and its performance than please help me out my friends. Any small detail, input, you feel like please let me know. Please help me be sure and satisfied am buying my Macbook Pro very soon and I am awaiting your response.

Answer 1

Well, are you talking about a 750 Hard Drive or SSD?  If SSD (quite expensive) it will certainly be as fast.  One option is to get the smallest HD they have and with the Non Retina you can upgrade the HD to an SSD later or now but save a little money.  Check with iFixit or OWC for instructions.  HD's do take longer to start up and load, but once open, the processor and video work just the same as on the Retina model.  The SSD speed is nice, but really not critical.  So you have to wait a minute for your computer to boot up.  The other big question is you need to find out if the non-retina model will take 16GB of ram.  According to OWC's site, it will, 16GB for 150USD.  Once you get programs open and resident in ram, everything will fly.