Actually barebones PCs are usually an excellent value. Typically they only have the base stuff you need, and you can soup them up asd much as you like.

I've bought nothing but bare bones systems the past 5 years, and have been very pleased with them.

You just need to shop around and do some research first.

I always end up putting in more ram, and a good videocard, ith a bigger power supply, and thats all we usually end up adding to them.

My current system is a barebones gateway, and my wife's is my own older barebones hewlett packard.

Don't just buy anything in eagerness.. shop around, ask questions, and see what people in the know recommend.

I've also been buying a lot from amazon, buy.com, and newegg the past few years.

Way too many people take way too many things way too seriously.