Return the laptop and reiterate your demand for the ThinkPad (with preferred specs) for reasons you stated. Reiterate your request for travelling expenses - yo

Return the laptop and reiterate your demand for the ThinkPad (with preferred specs) for reasons you stated. Reiterate your request for travelling expenses - you're an employee not an independent contractor, you shouldn't have to file separately for work related. Explain that for a company of their size and age, you expect certain processes to be in place. If not, you're happy to wait/possibly help (e.g. by recommending a HR/Ops/Payroll shop that can set things up as short term project) to accelerate them to that point. Otherwise, you have to rethink your job with them. I assume this is happening because you did not have any conversation about benefits during the hiring process. So, if you end up leaving, make sure this you don't skip this step in your next interviews.