Showing a slight 0.1% YoY growth, India’s PC market shipped 4.49 million units in 3Q24. However, the market stays positive as premium notebooks and the commercial sector thrived.
India’s traditional PC market, which includes desktops, notebooks, and workstations, shipped 4.49 million units in the third quarter of 2024 (3Q24). According to a report by the International Data Corporation (IDC), despite this figure being a ‘record high’, it marks only a slight 0.1% increase compared to the third quarter of 2023.
The desktop category experienced an 8.1% decline year-over-year (YoY), while notebooks and workstations saw modest growth, increasing by 2.8% and 2.4% YoY, respectively. The demand for premium notebooks priced over $1,000 rose by 7.6% YoY, driven by online festival sales.
Furthermore, in the consumer segment, shipments dropped by 2.9% YoY, despite aggressive discounts on a variety of PCs offered through e-commerce platforms. According to the report, this year’s demand was more organic, with vendors avoiding overstocking compared to 3Q23, leading to a slight YoY decline.
On the other hand, the commercial segment saw a 4.4% YoY increase, and the enterprise segment experienced a more significant growth of 9.6% YoY.
Commenting on this trend, Bharath Shenoy, Research Manager, IDC India & South Asia, said, “The e-tail sales, which typically start around the second week of October, began in late September, leading to a surge in PC shipments.”
He noted that brands took advantage of e-tail sales by offering significant discounts, cashbacks, and bundled accessories. They also matched these prices in their stores and offline outlets like larger format retail stores (LFRs). This strategy led to one of the strongest consumer quarters ever, boosting consumer PC sales significantly by reaching different market segments.
Brandwise, HP Inc. led the market in 3Q24 with a 29% share, securing the top spot in both the commercial and consumer segments. In the commercial segment, it held 34.3% of the market, while in the consumer segment, it accounted for 24.8%. HP shipped 1.05 million notebooks, marking its third-largest quarter ever.
Strong performance in the enterprise segment, which grew by 30.2% YoY, and high demand for consumer notebooks during festive sales contributed to this success.
Lenovo ranked second with a 17.3% market share. The company captured a 20.3% share in the commercial segment, driven by crucial enterprise orders and strong momentum in the SMB (small and medium-sized business) sector.
Lenovo’s consumer segment also performed well, increasing by 3% YoY, with a 15% share, thanks to a stronger focus on branded gaming notebooks and an effective strategy targeting e-tail channels during festive sales.
Dell Technologies came in third with a 14.6% share. It secured the second position in the commercial segment with a 20.8% share, marking a 4.7% YoY growth, particularly boosted by strong momentum in the SMB segment, which grew by 14.9% YoY. However, Dell’s more conservative approach during e-tail sales led to a 5.4% YoY decline in its consumer segment.
Acer Group was tied for third with Dell Technologies, also holding a 14.6% share. Acer saw significant growth, with a 26.2% YoY increase in 3Q24. The brand benefited from fulfilling education projects and enterprise orders, helping it lead the commercial desktop category with a 30.2% share. Acer also targeted e-tail channels during the festive season, resulting in a 38% YoY surge in its consumer segment shipments.
Asus ranked fifth with a 9.7% share, experiencing a 22.3% YoY decline, largely due to a leaner inventory than the previous year. However, Asus performed well in the consumer segment, where it held a 16.2% share and grew by 5.5% YoY. The company’s focus for 2024 was primarily on the commercial segment, contributing to its growth.
Looking forward, Navkendar Singh, Associate Vice President, Devices Research, IDC India, South Asia & ANZ said, “The Commercial PC Market in India is on the recovery path as enterprises have slowly started refreshing their IT devices. The IT/ITES buying has kickstarted and is expected to pick up momentum in CY2025.”
The growing use of PCs for gaming and content creation, along with the increasing emphasis on AI features and tools in PCs, is expected to drive the consumer segment in 4Q24 and throughout 2025. This, in turn, will help the segment end both 2024 and 2025 on a positive note.
