Getting a new laptop, what would be the first thing i should do?

Install AVG Antivirus

I would create a system image backup.
Always best to have a backup image on a clean computer. Just incase anything goes wrong.

Can you tell me how to do this please

1) Turn it on & make a restore point.
2) Configure and set it up with updates etc and make a 2nd restore point.
It would be a good idea to make separate partitions to store files.
3) Then like DR Tech says make a 'System Image BackUp' in an external HDD.
Then what l do is in six months or so l reinstall this image, make any adjustments and immediately make a 2nd Image BackUp.
I do this twice yearly (only takes a short time) so that today five years later I have a computer that works like it was brand new, fresh out the box, runs just as fast.
I use two HDD's for backups, alternating between each for every 2nd backup.
Lastly and quite important, make your Factory Recovery Disks and your repair/recovery disk.
You can only make one single set of Factory Recovery Disks but you can make many repair/recovery disks.
Factory Recovery Disks are a copy of the operating system as it came from the manufacture.
Repair/recovery disks are bootable disks used to help repair a computer or reinstall a System Image BackUp.
If you wait to make the Factory Disk till the future realize some viruses will infect the partition it's contained in and you will lose this option.
Your backup image can contain the entire computer and all partitions or just the (C. Drive. Your choice.

48 hours
http://www.cnet.com/...windows-8/
Google this again for more clarity