- Open iTunes on the laptop.
- Go to "Edit" > "Preferences" > "Import Settings".
- Make sure that "Import Using" is set to use "AAC Encoder" (better quality than MP3 for the same bitrate).
- Under "Setting", you can choose "High Quality (128kbps)", "iTunes Plus" (which is 256kbps) or "Custom" (and enter your own "Stereo Bit Rate").
- See what it is currently set to, and try a lower setting. If it's on "iTunes Plus" (256kbps), you could drop it down to "High Quality (128kbps)" or try a "Custom" value in between, such as 192kbps.
- Import (rip) a CD.
All music purchased from iTunes is 256kbps "iTunes Plus", but when I rip my own CDs I tend to use 192kbps as a compromise between quality and file size.