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(continued...) Built in connectivity includes monitor and audio output, microphone, USB Type II & III PC Cards and predictably for a Sony product, i.
LINK (IEEE1394) S400 for connecting a digital video camera or direct Smart Connect to another suitably equipped PC.
A port replicator is also supplied extending connectivity to optical out, parallel printer port, nine pin serial, S video, video out, line in / out, 2xUSB, mouse / keyboard, and an additional PC card slot.
The port replicator also incorporates a fan that is ducted through the moving flap for extended desktop use.
There is also an undock button to notify removal to the currently supplied Windows 98 OS.
To underline Sony's multimedia credentials, Adobe's Premier video editing package is supplied together with a number of Sony applications for video capture, memory stick management and word processing.
The X29 is certainly worthy of the desktop replacement title, breezing through solid modelling duties.
The recent transition from consumer machines is evident however with the lack of NT or Windows 2000 options at present.
It has also been made clear that the current return to base warranty terms will soon be extended to the professional level offered by other manufactures such as next day on-site repairs.
All this functionality and style is not light, weighing in at 2.8kg nor cheap at £3150 but if you need to take your desk with you Sony certainly deliver with a desirable machine.
Once the professional support is in place, the small like for like price differential could make the X29 hard to resist.