Sony VAIO JS: Keep It Or Toss It?

Not quite standard desktops, more powerful than laptops, and screens that would make most televisions jealous — all-in-ones offer a refreshing mix of features, minimal wires, and the freedom to move them from room to room with little effort.  We’ve reviewed a few of these systems and one reader wants to know if he should keep or toss his Sony VAIO JS Series.

The answer to that depends on what you already have.  All-in-ones straddle the fence between laptops and desktops — large screens and no battery means they aren’t exactly mobile, but no tower and minimal wires mean that they aren’t tied to one room in the house.

Desktop owners won’t appreciate the lack of upgradability all-in-ones offer.  Similar to laptops, you might be able to upgrade the RAM, but you won’t be able to crack it open and get at the guts (without possibly voiding the warranty or cracking some plastic).  You can’t add drives or ports, either.  And if the screen goes, so does the entire system.

If your desktop is seriously old and you’re not comfortable poking around inside, anyway, an all-in-one makes a good replacement, especially if it’s a gift.  You could still return it and buy a desktop with similar specs, two monitors, and maybe have a bit left over.

Laptop owners are used to limitations on expansion, so that aspect isn’t going to put most users off.  And if your laptop is your primary computer and sits on your desk most of the time, then an all-in-one won’t be such a major change.  With the VAIO JS series, you’ll get a bigger screen than on almost any laptop.  And since it is still easy to move around the house, it will make a nice mobile entertainment center.

But if your laptop isn’t mostly stationary, an all-in-one is a big step down in mobility.  You could get a great system for the same price or a little less, but if the big screen is the main enticement, you’ll have to put up a little extra to get a decent 17 – 18″ desktop replacement notebook.  It might be worth it to regain mobile freedom.

Bottom Line:  Toss the Sony VAIO JS if you want to replace a desktop or a laptop.  Keep the system if you want to add a mobile entertainment center to your home.