Can I future-proof my purchase of a new laptop?

Marie is buying a computer for her son and seeks something that can be upgraded and won’t need replacing in a couple of yearsI am getting my son a new laptop for Christmas. My budget is around £500. He is adamant that he wants a 15in HP laptop – he won’t be lugging it anywhere – but I’ve also been looking at Dell and Asus ZenBooks. My question is: Can I future-proof my purchase to take him through his GCSEs to A-levels, or should I just go for an entry-level l