Originally Posted by firedept10
I suggest going to the Apple Store and comparing them side by side.
I'm fortunate in that I have four Apple Stores near with two fairly close and the others maybe a 40min drive. So seeing products up close and personal isn't real a problem.
Unfortunately, not everybody can get to an Apple store easily. Best Buy and Target may be an options. For a lot of people, online is the only practical answer. Apple's return policy is adequate, though you'll have to pay shipping for returns.
You make good points for hands on eyeballing, but it's not always possible.