Could you consider viewing from another perspective? Perhaps they have a chronic illness or injury and the weight of a laptop and books can be too much. Some days I can't take everything I need to work because it's too heavy for my rheumatoid, I have to either ditch the laptop or some books or my headphones or something. If I had a lighter laptop it'd be easier. They simply asked the question if they could swap it out, they weren't demanding to change it or begging for some high speed graphics card or some shit.