Sony's VAIO VGC-JS190J all-in-one PC gets reviewed

After spending a bit of time with Sony's new all-in-one desktop lineup at CEDIA 2008, it was easy to recognize that some serious thought went into the design. CNET was able to corral one of the lower-end JS units, the VAIO VGC-JS190J to be specific, and took the time to determine whether the innards were as delightful as the exterior. Overall, critics found that it was the "best deal" going on an all-in-one desktop with an inbuilt Blu-ray drive, and amazingly, they found it "relatively free of software clutter." Furthermore, they yearned for more screen space than just 20-inches when watching those BD flicks, but outside of that, they found that "no other all-in-one, including Apple's iMac, could do as much, as fast, for the same price." Sounds like a winner, no?

[boogie @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:41PM]

...sounds (and looks) like a ripoff, no?

[Metkis @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:44PM]

The core design doesn't strike me as incredibly similar, but that keyboard is pretty risky.

[cf292007 @ Sep 24th 2008 8:10PM]

you sound like a jackass no?

[nicholaelaw @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:32PM]

Relax, Sony has had those keyboard design for quite a while already. Besides, I remember I've read somewhere that Apple actually digged a handful of designers from Sony a few years back. So I wouldn't be surprised to see these similarities.

[fred @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:58PM]

Have someone file a lawsuit.

And watch them get laughed out of court.

[Trooper @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:03PM]

Yes, totally a rip off from the iMac, they even copied the alumin keyboard from iMac. What a shame....

[Metkis @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:26PM]

@nicholae: I know the key design was originally Sony's creation, but Apple was the first to use them in an all-in-one as a standalone keyboard (it was my inclination that Sony used it on a laptop? I'm not completely sure of this). Regardless, the design is very minimalistic and almost looks aluminum, which seems to be Apple's design agenda now.

Have no fear, I still think it looks great and the originality in the actual computer takes my mind away from the similarity in keyboards (you can always get another keyboard). I personally didn't mind the iMac's keyboard, I just despised the mighty mouse and don't really have a big use for OSX personally. Both seem like very well-designed all-in-ones.

[nohone @ Sep 24th 2008 3:58AM]

@Trooper

Oh, the horror. Sony used this thing called "materials" to build their computer. These "material" things include "metals" and "plastics" to make their outer casing. But the All Mighty Jobs decided to innovate and invent these "material" things to construct his superially powerful Mac before anyone else. Nobody ever thought to use these "material" things when creating a computer before the All Mighty Jobs did, and when other companies use them, they are only coping the All Mighty Jobs. I am just as disgusted as you. Imagine, using "materials" such as "plastic" and "metal" to build something, such as a car, a pop can (that is soda can for some of you), a TV, or, in this case, a computer.

What is even worse - the Mac is driven by a thing called a silicon chip, which is not to be confused with either the potato variety nor silicone (which is also used as a filler). Silicon is naturally occuring, but nobody thought to create something from it except the All Mighty Jobs. And all these non-Mac computers are now using a silicon computer chip. I mean, when will the copying stop?

[chansthename @ Sep 24th 2008 4:08AM]

big problem is the lack of wireless keyboard and mouse combo

[Dubb @ Sep 24th 2008 10:13AM]

@nohone

The amount of awesome in your post is unmeasurable.

[WickedEast @ Sep 24th 2008 11:30AM]

Who was the very last personal computer maker to adopt a two-button mouse?

[hi im a mac @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:41PM]

nice powerful machine but real shame its running windows

[Metkis @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:50PM]

It's okay! A quick format and you can have Linux in no time.

[eltoro2827 @ Sep 24th 2008 9:00AM]

shame you were born.

[Anthony H. @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:15PM]

@Metkis:
Don't even bother. He's a troll and was trying to apply he would rather have OSX since his name is "hi im a mac"

[Ruben @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:30PM]

What is that, number 8 or 10 on the "Default response to competition" Apple fanboy list?

[Metkis @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:43PM]

@Anthony: I know, but sometime when you're in a zoo it's really hard not to throw popcorn at the monkeys.

[letstakeawalk @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:55PM]

Someone should go ask Steve why his company doesn't offer software... maybe the Sony could run it better?

[Rogue_Genius @ Sep 24th 2008 12:27AM]

@ Metkis: +1 for not feeding the troll. He baited you and you just fed him Linux instead. well played.

[Lancelot @ Sep 24th 2008 5:26PM]

You said a mouthful there.!! Makes it a "No Sale" here for just that reason. Plus, Vista is so "DRM" backloaded that it's hard to do half of the things it should.. I can't imagine how long it will take to get rid of all the "Trial Ware" that comes loaded on it..

[Adrian @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:45PM]

NO!

[gad get @ Sep 24th 2008 12:36AM]

Okayyyyy....

[Metkis @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:46PM]

Make an even thinner 30" version and I might be sold.

[michas_pi @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:57PM]

It looks nice; I like it a lot.

And the lack of bloatware makes it even more attractive.

[gonintendo @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:15PM]

20" sounds like more than enough for movies. of course, i am using a 15" crt.

[Bloobie @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:42PM]

Considering this screen cannot display a Blu-Ray movie in full resolution, I would say no, 20" is not enough.

[gad get @ Sep 24th 2008 4:22AM]

20" is plenty big enough. The problem is not the size, but the resolution, silly.

[JohnPQ @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:16PM]

Apple makes good software, but they rip you when it comes to hardware. Don't even get me started about updating something like the Mac mini.

[Andrew @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:37PM]

Uhh, where exactly would you start?

[Heshmati4 @ Sep 24th 2008 12:17AM]

The imacs are actually aggressively priced (yes, we're talking Apple here) against other all-in-ones

But this new Sony all-in-one looks promising, especially with it's built in Blu-Ray drive... Sadly the screen is only 20in.

[VeganFreak @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:29PM]

What movie is on-screen?

[Citivas @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:52PM]

No movie. The pic was taken at CEDIA and that is the hallway at the Denver Convention Center. You can see the giant Blue Bear at the far left of the image. It probably was showing off the built-in webcam when the pic was snapped.

[jorvay @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:34PM]

Wow, 12 comments and no "Sony ripped off Apple's keyboard" remarks? I can't believe it!

[phanbouy @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:36PM]

wow... best all-in-one with blu ray! it's in a class of its own. literally.

[phanbouy @ Sep 24th 2008 12:20AM]

i.e. there is no other all in one with BR. right?

[rickjamess @ Sep 24th 2008 1:20AM]

The Dell One has Blu-ray

[the other steve jobs @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:44PM]

wait... what if the monitor breaks?

Are you saying that you can't just plug in another VGA monitor if the screen dies?

How do you upgrade the video card?

Lame.

[holycow @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:10PM]

Oh and the iMac doesn't have any of those "problems"! Damn you Sony be more 'fruity' please! :)

[The Dude @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:27PM]

You must be new to all-in-ones.

1. Sony gets lube-up and bend you over if your screen shits out and your outside the warranty period.
2. You get the added bonus of having your pr0n browsed through by the repair center nerds since you're not just sending in the screen, but the whole computer.
3. You don't upgrade the card. You just don't. Not unless you have the cojones to try and attempt to de-solder the old one and solder a new one...praying all along that size constraints don't make it a dead project.


Although, really...screens don't burn out that quickly. And honestly, I can't say I care if my hardware became obsolete in terms of sheer age. I have new machines but I still boot-up my Athlon 64 with 2GB of RAM (motherboard limitation) and get just as much work done as I do on my C2D desktops and laptop. Now I feel like a chump. I think we've reached a point where you don't need moar megahurtz to run that oh-so-intensive word processor or video. As far as average computing goes, we've peaked already. Unless you insist on a gaming rig that drags down the whole power grid.

[Tony C @ Sep 24th 2008 10:44AM]

You can't upgrade the video card, because the only thing this AIO has is Intel chipset integrated graphics.

[YpoCaramel @ Sep 24th 2008 12:56PM]

Good, but a bit too close to laptop size for comfort. I mean, with 20" all-in-one a 17-18" desktop replacement notebook is still tempting since that at least has battery power and its easier to move in case you have to move your house or get assigned to London for the next 6 months. With a 24" all-in-one there's no contest.

[frankXchange @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:03PM]

I like it a lot. I don't think the screen size is a big problem. I think that at that size it will work well as the family computer terminal, or standard office computer, which I assume is it's targets. As a gaming computer or workstation I don't think it's there, specifically the graphics chipset.


Just if to be clear, the blu-ray drive burns blu-ray disks, or does it just play blu-ray discs and burn regular DVDs? I can't see wanting to have a blu-ray player with no outputs on a screen that small (except for student perhaps). Nor do I see having a blu-ray burner on a computer that is not a workstation for the time being.

[Tony C @ Sep 24th 2008 11:27AM]

Second answer. It's a BD-ROM drive. Bluray read-only. It does however, burn DVD+-RW DL, DVD+-RW, DVD-RAM, CD+-RW and CD+-R. Like most other DVD burners, but it adds the more uncommon RAM as well. Tray loader kinda bugs me. Why no love for the slot-load?

[gettingmymacon @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:18PM]

putting 4 GB of ram in this machine is a waste unless it's running Vista x64..32 bit Windows can only handle about 3GB of ram (including video card memory)

Also, if they're going to a put a blu-ray drive in this thing, at least give a screen that can actually show 1080p resolution

other than overpricing this machine with un-usable ram and giving it a feature it is unable to fully utilize, it sounds like a nice machine

[michas_pi @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:54PM]

Essentially yes, there is a memory limitation in 32-bit Windows.

It will see 4 GB of RAM but will subtract the amount of video memory from the total RAM amount, including shared memory.

So if you have 4 GB and an Intel GMA 950 that steals 128 MB, the total RAM seen by Windows 32-bit will be about 3.8 GB.

I think that's how it works. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Kspraydad @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:59PM]

The SPECS indicate Vista 64.

[Kspraydad @ Sep 24th 2008 12:08AM]

Based on its competition of HP and Apple this has the same resolution given the monitor size AND the OPTION to read BD discs into the future...seems ok to me.

[Serial 8-Ball Mouse @ Sep 24th 2008 1:06AM]

@michas_pi

The OS will only see about 3.25GB if it is 32-bit.

[Cunthor @ Sep 24th 2008 2:47AM]

@ Kayspraydad

I bet it's the 64 bit Vista which is making Sony not include bloatware - they need to port it to 64bit first!

[Ayman @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:18PM]

I love Sony but that mouse has to go...