Is there much difference between the nikon D5100 and nikon D7000?

I was having a quick look at the specs and they seem similar, i haven't gone into deep research into it but they both look great. I'm wondering which camera would be better and why?

While the sensors perform about the same, the
d7000 is more robust and can use legacy AF Nikkors as well as the newer AF-S lenses. The
D5100 will only auto-focus using AF-S lenses

Http://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/side-by-side?products=nikon_d5100&products=nikon_d7000 one is bigger

For a beginner not much, for an enthousiastic amateur, the D7000 has features he will need and that are lacking in the d5100

Same sensor means noise performance is 99% the same, however, the D7000 goes one stop higher, which is good for extreme low light.

D7000 has a top LCD screen, better arranged buttons, much faster AF with more points, better built body, no articulating screen and that's mostly it. If you really want to do sports professionally on a budget, get the D7000. If you're like most other people - shooting everything and wanting high quality but rarely do fast sports like basketball, get the D5100.

Here's a DSLR Buying Guide - http://www.the-dslr-photographer.com/2009/11/which-dslr-to-buy/

If you can't see the difference between two spec sheets from the internet, at least you should honor the fact that 1900 D's is a lot to separate the two cameras.

For those who are more serious to DSLR cameras or looking to upgrade their existing one, it's simply the D5100 or the D7000. Again, it's likely you will find the D5100 more than sufficient and with extra features thrown in for some casual snapping and editing. However, if you don't find the tilt-able LCD necessary or need a more robust body with higher performance, the D7000 is the way to go. You will find the D7000 much more responsive overall from metering and AF to the final shot. No need to say too much for this category, the choice should be clear if you are in this category.