Or for $599, you can get their AMD Athlon XP-2100, 256MB DDR RAM, 40GB hard drive, 19-inch ViewSonic monitor, CD-RW 52x24x52, Windows XP Home Edition. This one won a c|Net Editor's Choice Award. My brother owns one of them and likes it.
So, The O/S and a cheap monitor added while 40GB of HD capacity is eliminated and a slower processor is used makes the price $200 more than the box?
Most people want a computer that they can actually, "Plug and Play"; they don't want to balance the bells and weigh the whistles.
They're well-built. They're fairly popular with gamers and other users. They've won some awards. For $399 you get a great system. Plug your monitor into it, install an OS, and you're up and running. Add a CD-R later if you want one. How hard is that?