This is an impossible question to answer Monarch without further details of your proposed setup/genre/additional equipment.
To go basic but useful, say you bought an 8 input interface and wanted to record a 4 piece band down the Mucky Duck? 4 mics just about covers drums, mic on bass, lead, rhythm leaves one to crowd round and sing! The 6yr old HP laptop I am typing on could cover that, burn a disc and I could check my emails while it makes the tea. Specs? i3 4core 8G ram (but the original 4G would do) 5,400 spinner HDD. But!..If I wanted to put any real time FX on any track(s) the CPU demand would shoot up.
So, we need to know what you intend to do, how you intend to do it and what you might do in the foreseeable. You need IMHO to be looking at an i5 processor, definitely an SSD, two if you can. USB 3.0 ports are a given these days but 3.1 would be advisable. Thunderbolt is as yet AFAIK rare on mainframe MOBOs and not on laptops? Nice if you could get it assuming you want/need an ultra low latency system* beware though, from my very limited knowledge TB/TB3/USB C is a bit of a minefield on PC as yet.
I am sure there is still a dedicated section "choosing an audio laptop" over at soundonsound.com? I would also ask the specialist suppliers, e.g. Scan, give you some idea of prices.
*Once again, ancillary gear has an impact. If say you go with an RME interface you would still get very low latency with USB 3.0 and even 2.0 is no slouch!
Dave.