Refurb 13inch 2012 OR Refurb 15inch 2011 which is better?Is refurb really worth it?THOUGHTS ON REFURBISHED MBP

Question

hey folks i am planing to buy a macbook pro after saving cash since the past 6years i want you all to help me with which product i should go for
i am 17 and need a good laptop which will last me another 5years..... i have been thinking about a refurb macbook pro 2012 13inch 2.9 i7dual core which is for about 1260 and another one refurb macbook pro 2011 15inch 2.2  i7 quad core which is again for 1350.....i would want to know which is a better option as price wise both are very close and if is the 15inch worth it and better as the 2011 does not have the usb3.0 and bluetooth 4.0 and its sandy bridge but again its quad core where as the 13inch 2012 has all the stuff but its dual core.... what is the difference between quad and dual core?....and i would want to know your thoughts on the refurb models as i said its importamt for me to spend my money wisely since i have been saving for the past 6years....does the refurb mbp as good as new?can they have cosmetic damages?is the outter shell and body replaced?and do they come with new parts and accesories? and is it like a second hand laptop which is used for a year or few months and then returnded and sold again as refurb? please let me know which is better and long lasting or else shall i go for a new one...cause if i buy a refurb mbp and the apple protection care plan the total cost is as much as a new mbp so is it better to buy a new mbp and not buy the apple protection  plan? PLEASE HELP ME OUT
Thanks for your time
Toodles
Links of the models:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/FD318LL/A/refurbished-macbook-pro-22ghz-quad-c ore-intel-i7#overview
http://store.apple.com/us/product/FD102LL/A/refurbished-macbook-pro-29ghz-dual-c ore-intel-i7
ps: is a 128gb solid state drive worth replacing the 500gb or 750gb serial ata

Answer 1

USB 3 vs USB 2 -> the importance of USB 3 depends on how much you use an external drive to read/write large files or large numbers of files. I once did extensive testing with USB 2 vs FireWire 400 & 800 with TimeMachine. It was no surprise that performing a complete backup with FireWire was significantly faster than with USB (or even a large backup such as after installing an OS update). But for those hourly (or even daily) backups the difference wasn't all that significant. Exporting a large number of photos or an iMovie to FireWire was significantly faster. Copying a copy word processor files it was almost impossible to accurate time the difference. For some the USB3 ports are a big deal. For me, not at all because I'm heavily invested in FireWire drives.
BlueTooth 4? Frankly, I can't say because the only thing I use BT for is my keyboard and mouse which the older standard is fine for. There are potential advantages - just as with USB3 - the question is whether your current/future needs align to the new standards. Again for me they don't.
As for the CPU difference - I've already indicated that unless you are doing high processor intensive work (such as 3D modelling or big statistical modeling) either processor has plenty of power. According to the benchmarks my new work iMac runs rings around my work 2009 Core 2 Duo 13" MBP. In my real world use of those two computers I never notice the difference. If I played 3D games on them I would.
I've already said that all but one of my refurbs looked new and from what I've seen of relatives and friends buying refurbs that runs pretty true. You aren't buying a new computer but on the other hand I've never seen a refurb that looked beat up. Most refurbs are computers that buyers returned within Apple's 14 day buyer's remorse period or were dead on arrival, a new one given to the buyer, and repaired.
I can't tell you how long a refurb MBP will last - no more than I can tell you how long a new MBP will last. But Apple warrants them for a year and lets you buy an extended warranty just as if they were new. That indicates the confidence Apple has in its refurbs.
Where do you get the idea that you can only put a 128GB SSD in a 13"? It can handle any standard 2.5" drive and there are plenty of SSDs in that form factor at 256GB and above. Yes an SSD is expensive compared to a standard drive but the speed increase is amazing and not just in booting up the computer. Installing an SSD on my 4.5 year old iMac gave it another year of live. Installing one in my work MBP was like getting a new computer. I wouldn't consider buying a new computer without one.