I've been putting a virtual cabinet together for months for my game room. I debated doing it for a while, but ultimately thought it would be a fun project. My father retired in January and as an electrical engineer he got excited at the idea of a project where we could integrate software with hardware features. I did it from the ground up (cabinet kit, new computer, three screens, contactors for force feedback, shaker-motor, gear motor, strobe lights, multiple flashers, RGB ground effects and all buttons RGB, etc.).
So, as a project it has been fun (and challenging). I'll probably be "finished" by the end of this month (have a few more flaws I'm waiting for parts to deal with). The physics are different of course (though I hear Visual Pinball 10's beta is doing a lot of nice improvements on physics), but such is the nature of video games. Like my MAME cabinet, I really like the idea of a multi-table entertainment solution (but one designed with the pinball experience in mind). I've got four actual machines just off the game room set up in the garage for those who want the real deal, but most of my friends actually are more familiar with digitized pinball than the physical side, and to them a game is a game.
I personally was not interested in buying a built one. Putting it together is the neat part of the experience, in my opinion. I've got just under 130 tables configured in mine.