I'm glad you see it as a "premise" because I do think that because of the soprano's size, dimensions, proportions and the compression that is a part of the soprano's intrinsic genius IMO you can not only "pull it off" with "ain't all solid wood" variations but even shine. Yes, there is a difference with all solid wood, but I will say this: an overbuilt all solid wood soprano loses IMO to the supposedly lesser lower-class laminate or hybrid almost every time.
The category: laminate or hybrid is NOT necessesarily inferior but different sounding. The $200 Kiwaya soprano beats every solid wood in that price range IMO...(now we know why buddhu's a moderator). Does buddhu say this, go that far? No, just my opinion about the $200 Kiwaya and having played good sounding but not "very" good sounding solid wood sopranos in that price range (I am saying several are indeed "good") But really it does come down to the uke top mostly...for $200 I would opt for the Kiwaya...rather than most solid wood sopranos in that price range that are high in the meh factor...kind of "competent" at best. In the all solid wood category for most uke brands I really do think most folks would be better off saving up a little more money...and going to a diffferent brand.
IMO solid wood is not simply more vulnerable to weather and the elements but more vulnerable to something being "off" either production level or design features (esp. in that $200 level). Even in a higher price level, most Martin fans are not jumping in the air over the more recent S-O's...I would take the Kiwaya over more recent S-O's...with the left over money buy my wife some jewelry.