Possibly buying an Imac/need advice

[icedmocha]

I am considering purchasing a new imac. I currently have a base level macbook that I use for everything (no desktop). I know that Apple currently has a great student promotion that they do annually, and it ends tonight. I plan on using either the Imac or my macbook to download/add lots of Highdef dvd home movies (made from a home camera) to.
My questions are:
1.Is this normally Apples best annual sale, or am I better off going refurb and configuring the computer the way I want it?
2. Would it be stressing out my macbook to load lots of movies ( i can send them to an external hard drive, and don't plan to do much editing initially.

Thanks a bunch, I have used this forum a fair bit in the past, and never needed to register due to the excellent quality of information here. Glad I did though.

 

[cantthinkofone]

If i had the money i would buy a refurb imac this very second.

You can pick up refurb macs very cheaply, and most of the time the exact same ones that are being sold retail for hundreds more. Same warranty, same computer. And most of the time tested more before being shipped than the retail ones.

You might even get lucky enough to get a bigger HDD or more ram than you ordered. I have never had this happen to me, but i have only bought one computer off the refurb site.

 

[alexlovesmacs]

Just buy the new iMac and get yourself the free iPod Touch.