I built my last system from the ground up but I'm much happier with it than with the pre-built or partially pre-built systems I have bought in the past. Sure, I probably didn't save much money but I got to pick out each component and I like that. (And I didn't really lose any money -- thanks NewEgg :) )

The primary reason I opted for picking out each component is because I wanted a QUIET desktop system that was still somewhat "normal". I just didn't trust pre-built systems to actually be quiet and I didn't want to pay over "over the top" cooling systems that I felt were a waste of money.

If you want a pre-built system to be exactly like you want it you have to research every component/piece of hardware in the thing anyway so why not got the next step an put it together as well.

Another advantage I see is coming up to speed on the latest technology being thrown around a PC. For me, the gap of time between major upgrades just keeps getting longer. This means that when I do upgrade there are a host of new IO technologies being used in the system, among other things.

Sure, if you don't care about "the guts" it might be a waste of time, but if you want to have a better idea how things are working together in your system the educational aspect of assembling your own is certainly of value.

(A "component integration checker" on NewEgg would be pretty neato. Perhaps driven by users. I digress... Back to work :( )

Ahh, the more things change, the more they stay the same...