Best option for recording vocals on laptop

With a lap top, no matter which way you go, the interface will have to be external.
 
So, forget the laptop, and focus on the interface and the mic.
 
Get a decent USB based external interface which uses ASIO drivers.  Get something by Focusrite, M-Audio, Presonus, Roland.....  Be sure it has phantom power and audio preamps built in. Focusrite and others will meet this standard.
 
Purchase a nice condenser mic. A condenser needs phantom power from the interface, and is a good all around mic for vocals and guitar as well as most audio applications.
 
Depending on where and what you buy, the budget should be $200 to $500 for these 2 items.  Check out Gauge mics for decent mics at low prices.
 
Don't skimp on these 2 items.... they are critical to getting a good sound and a smooth running DAW.

You might want to get a hand held recorder - korg or tascam.  I picked up a decent one for -$100.  Mic/preamps OK.  They'll record the voice as a wave file and you can just pull it off via usb.  You can input your own mic if you get a preamp.  A few more bucks might get you a 4 track that he could have the music on, too, for sync purposes.
 
Otherwise, I'd get a desktop and interface and go whole hog.  You can get a good desk for the same money you'd pay for a crappy lappy and continue to have problems.  When you cut corners to save money, you make up for it in headaches.  A suitable desktop (get an hp or sony) starts at $400.  Add a 2nd hard drive and monitor for $60 and $70+ each.  Add a starter interface for $150 and mic - sub $100.  He'll be set to go for the next couple of years unless he gets serious, but I did good music (and including vocals) on a similiar set up for years.
 
@

The problem with those handheld devices is (afaik) you can only record one track... On a laptop with Sonar X2 it is far easier to record various bits of vocals or use loop recording etc. With that handheld you can record one track, you have to move it to the laptop, sync it, etc... doesn't sound to convenient.
 
Concerning the laptop and desktop: I didn't want to make the OP longer than necessary but my son has no other option than a laptop due to circumstances. I myself have a desktop and don't even want to THINK about making music on a laptop, but he of course ONLY records his vocals and nothing more: it's not that he is going to create complete arrangements on the laptop.
 
EDIT
Guitarhacker posted while I was typing. ;) I will check out MC6touch!

Ah, ya, computers. Well, a computer for audio recording does not have to be that good, especially if not recording a bunch of tracks (bunches of tracks and some soft synths where a newer faster computer can really help).
 
What is more important is setting up the computer for audio recording and tweaking the computer (if Windows) to use as a DAW (digital audio workstation).
 
There is all that stuff to look at on the Internet doing a search, but one program that may help besides setting up Windows correctly in taking everything it does automatically - off and everything like that is find out how the computer responds and if any drivers are affecting it for streaming audio and such.
 
http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml
 
To me a computer just does not go about dead, it is either dead or needs to be set up to record audio.
If XP, it may seem like it is old (mine is going on 7 years now, although I have a newer Windows 7 computer now), but I can record 54 tracks of audio on it, and it still works fine (with the software I have - Sonar 7). So yes, updates are fine and all of that (software wise) but depending on how much you use the computer and still if everything works with it and drivers are up to date as much as they can be - setting up the computer is more important, then just rushing out and buying any ol' computer. Some work better than others, and considering everything, I guess I check out the old computer first and tweak it to record audio the best that it can.
 
Just saying my XP computer still works fine to record with if I want to, and in some respects I like it better than Windows 7 and although some people like Windows 8, well that is a different subject with me.
 
For recording anything an audio/interface is way better than a sound card, can cost about the same and if drivers for the OS you are using are really updated or work good, then all will be well with recording.
 
http://www.sweetwater.com/shop/computer-audio/audio_interfaces/
 
Not the only place besides local places online or in your area and not an endorsement for any company, but just a place that can show you what an audio/interface cost.
 
If you do not have or greater than IC7H USB bus ports, then forget USB devices, because that is what is needed, and usually like I said even my old XP computer can use my USB audio/interface.
 
So I would find out first how to set up the existing computer and really think if it is as dead as you think it is, or else just needs some tweaking, perhaps a better program like Music Creator to use to record, and a better mic then going hog-wild but you can if you want to with spending. You can get $8000 mics also, or so, but do you really think everyone buys those kind of microphones??
 
Doing a search for reviews of equipment can be done also. Depends on your ears I guess in the end.
 
Of course I use my audio/interface for my sound card in my computer, it sounds better than most soundcards, but still both are different, one perhaps to listen to music better, and the other to play games on the computer perhaps with surround sound whatever. All of that can be similiar but then I rather listen to my audio/interface knowing what a sound card really sounds like and how it really records audio - live - not as good in my opinion.
 
Oh, P.S.
I  do play a couple of computer games and watch movies and watch youtube videos with the audio/interface I have also.
Everything connected with sound on the computer. The main thing is making sure the computer works for audio in the first place by tweaking it.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Absolutely..... spend the money on the gear that will make the biggest bang for the buck.
 
BUY: Interface with clean, built in, pre amps and phantom power with a nice condenser microphone.
 
Just about any computer can run Cakewalk's Music Creator, even the older ones. My old Dell lappy is 7+ years old with only a Duo Core processor and limited memory (compared with today's budget lappys) and it ran MC flawlessly. Of course, I spent some money ($700 at the time) on the interface (Focusrite) and the  mic (Rode) and they are still working fine on my more modern and capable custom built desk top DAW.