Keep an eye on http://Slickdealz.net and watch for the different Dell deals. The guys there watch all the promotions and usually find some extraordinary deals. You'll notice that they don't have a high opinion of TigerDirect's rebate program, but it's still a solid site for pricing and deal research.
“Liberalism is totalitarianism with a human face” - Thomas Sowell
“What "multiculturalism" boils down to is that you can praise any culture in the world except Western culture - and you cannot blame any culture in the world except Western culture” - Thomas Sowell
Strange, I missed this post....
Anyhoo, saw it given the post today. As I said:
Software does cost, and OEM sofware, while less money, does not give you the security that the full License will. That being, try bringing a problem to microsoft about windows when you buy a pre-made comp. Its not as easy as you think.It is often about the same price or a tad more than the plastic boxes.
My opinion is that if you should pick and choose, have Frys build it (if you don't want to DIY), and though it may be a wee bit more (not always), it will be worth much more down the road.