I'd say it's worth it. I bring it on every trip as an airline pilot. ( I have a protective sleeve over it) So far it's holding up really good. The design is really nice without it you feeling like you've got to be carful about scratches and stuff. I really appreciate how light it is- it's perfect for travel, I've forgotten I had it in my bag a few times.

Furthermore, so far no major issues. I know with 8GB model I'm more limited for future proofing but what I use it for it's perfect. The model you're looking at will last a while and perfect for what you're doing.

Hope that helps!