"Dumb" Laptops Link to High End Media Center?

I would like to have mobile internet access through a laptop, but no real interest in lugging around applications, drives, etc to increase weight and/or expensive redundancies on multiple machines.

Given that other threads have suggested that PC audio is not such a demanding, RAM intensive application, I am wondering is there any reason I couldnt have one or more light, sleek, slim, laptop devices to call up the internet and/or itunes for example, which in turn reference or wirelessly connects to my monster, high end "media center" which has stacks of giant hard drives, lots of RAM, all my movies, all my music etc?

The way I envision it, that media center's hard drive, with bit for bit uncompressed music, would by itself connect directly to a high end, external DAC hooked up to my main 2 channel system.

But the rest of the rooms could be light, simple, somewhat "dumb" and hopefully cheaper for the satellite applications.

Even better, perhaps when traveling, I could somehow dial up through "gotomypc.com" or something?

Apologies if I am missing some crucial piece of the puzzle here.

I am still trying to make the giant leap to PC based audio for everything other than a new turntable, yet continue to be fuzzy on "best practices" for audiophiles and how to accomodate multiple rooms, traveling etc.

Thanks for any solutions, suggestions, or arguments as to why this is a bad idea.

Best

cwlondon