The companies that supply machine built wheels will tell you that they are as good as a hand built wheel but many don't have level of equipment that can match what a human being can do with their hands.

Some of the best off the peg wheels come from suppliers that have human beings doing post build checks on all their wheels... these will cost more and come with better components.

Serviced a brand new set of wheels that were bought at an LBS yesterday... the front wheel was so under tensioned that it would not have made it around the block without deforming under load.