Dell Ubuntu vs. Build it Yourself

Now that Dell will sell you a Desktop machine with Linux, I was curious if one could still build a machine oneself cheaper than buying one from a vendor like Dell. Heretofore, I maintained that building one was always cheaper primarily because the vendor was paying Microsoft for the Windows license. When the intended OS is Linux, this is throwing money away and contributing to the evil empire.

I first configured a basic Dell Inspiron 530N:

PROCESSOR	Intel®Pentium® dual-core processor E2140 (1MB L2,1.60GHz,800 FSB)	edit
OPERATING SYSTEM	Ubuntu Desktop Edition version 7.04	edit
MONITORS	No Monitor	edit
MEMORY	1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz- 2DIMMs	edit
HARD DRIVE	160GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™	edit
OPTICAL DRIVE	48X CD-RW/ DVD Combo Drive	edit
VIDEO CARD	128MB NVIDIA GeForce 8300GS	edit
SOUND CARD	Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio	edit
KEYBOARD & MOUSE	Dell USB Keyboard and Dell Optical USB Mouse	edit
FLOPPY & MEDIA READER	No Floppy Drive Included

Total cost: $379

Then I went over to newegg.com and chose the cheapest components I could find that matched the above. I did this even when the user reviews were somewhat bad and would've caused me to buy something more expensive.

Here's what I came up with:

Linkworld 3210-04-C2628 Black/ Silver Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail Item #: N82E16811164040 Return Policy: Standard Return Policy		$27.99
		Maxtor STM3160215AS 160GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM Item #: N82E16822144454 Return Policy: Limited 30-Day Return Policy Select An Optional Extended Warranty Plan 1 Year Service Net Replacement Plan -- $9.99 2 Year Service Net Replacement Plan -- $14.99		$46.99
		PNY VCG8400SXPB GeForce 8400GS 256MB 64-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready Video Card - Retail Item #: N82E16814133203 Return Policy: Limited 30-Day Return Policy Select An Optional Extended Warranty Plan 1 Year Service Net Replacement Plan -- $14.99 2 Year Service Net Replacement Plan -- $19.99	$10.00 Mail-in Rebate	$69.99
		LG Black IDE DVD-ROM Drive Model GDR-H30NK - OEM Item #: N82E16827136126 Return Policy: Standard Return Policy		$17.99
		Crucial Ballistix 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Desktop Memory Model BL12864AA663 - OEM Item #: N82E16820146558 Return Policy: Memory (Modules, USB) Return Policy Select An Optional Extended Warranty Plan 1 Year Service Net Replacement Plan -- $14.99 2 Year Service Net Replacement Plan -- $19.99		$51.99
		ECS 945GCT-M (V1.0) LGA 775 Intel 945GC Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail Item #: N82E16813135051 Return Policy: Standard Return Policy Select An Optional Extended Warranty Plan 1 Year Service Net Replacement Plan -- $14.99 2 Year Service Net Replacement Plan -- $19.99	-$5.00 Instant $10.00 Mail-in Rebate	$54.99 $49.99
		Intel Dual-Core E2140 Allendale 1.6GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80557E2140 - Retail Item #: N82E16819116037 Return Policy: Processors (CPUs) Return Policy Select An Optional Extended Warranty Plan 1 Year Service Net Replacement Plan -- $14.99 2 Year Service Net Replacement Plan -- $19.99		$75.99
Subtotal:				$340.93

Total Cost: $340.93

I disregarded taxes and shipping because I believe they would be comparable. So the Dell is $40 more. Bear in mind that the Dell comes with a keyboard and mouse and a 1 year warranty.

So, what's my new take on this: Only build yourself if you already have some number of components lying around and can save money by not buying everything.