I basically agree.

You will absolutely need at least 512MB, so add that to the cost of the slower model.

The backlit keyboard is way cool and can be genuinely useful.

The faster disk drive improves system performance. The size difference wouldn't matter to me, but might to you.

You never know when you'll want to burn a DVD. Even if you can't think of an occasion now, you'll have this for a few years. Needs change.

And it will have somewhat higher resale value when you do sell it, because the SuperDrive and larger hard disk will matter to some buyers, and just being more recent will help too.

Things that don't matter:

That it's a refurb (it's got a new-computer warranty, doesn't it?)

That the CPU is 11 percent slower - you'll never notice unless you do major PhotoShop editing or something equally CPU-intensive.

I think the newer model also comes with an upgraded graphics card, but that's also probably not a biggie.

I'd go for the 1.5 if you can afford it.

(Disclaimer: faced with a similar decision a few months ago, that's what I did, so some of this may be trying to justify my own past actions to myself and/or the world.)