If you walked into an electronics store in 2024, chances are you weren’t surrounded by people eagerly buying new laptops. It wasn’t a year of mass consumer upgrades or flashy new trends taking over overnight.
But somehow, India’s PC market still grew by 3.8%. The real story? It wasn’t the everyday shopper driving this—it was businesses, government orders, and a quiet but steady shift toward smarter, more purpose-driven purchases.
The commercial sector was the real MVP, growing by 5.1% as enterprises refreshed their ageing office setups and government agencies' bulk-ordered devices through the GeM platform. Meanwhile, the consumer segment grew at a slower 2.6%, but online shopping was a bright spot with eTailer sales surging by 21.7%. Discount-driven events and year-end sales played their part, proving once again that a good deal can still pull people in.
Another trend that stood out was the rise of AI-powered and gaming laptops. While premium notebooks saw a healthy 13.8% increase, gaming machines were the real highlight, registering double-digit growth. And though AI-powered PCs are still in their early days, mid-range models featuring Intel Core Ultra and AMD Ryzen AI chips started gaining traction—hinting at what could become a mainstream category sooner than expected.
When it came to brands, HP led the market with a 30.1% share, though it faced increasing competition in the consumer space. Lenovo followed with 17.2%, maintaining steady growth across both personal and business segments. Dell, sitting at 16.1%, remained strong in the commercial market but slipped in the consumer category.
The biggest mover, however, was Acer. With aggressive discounts and an e-commerce-first approach, Acer grew an impressive 27.7% overall and a staggering 48.4% in the consumer segment. Asus, on the other hand, took a more cautious approach, focusing on inventory management rather than chasing rapid growth.
Looking ahead, the industry is bracing for a wave of device replacements as businesses look to upgrade systems bought in 2020-21. That should keep the commercial segment strong, but a weakening rupee could push up prices, making it harder for small businesses and budget-conscious consumers to upgrade. Still, with AI, gaming, and evolving buying patterns reshaping the landscape, 2025 is shaping up to be anything but predictable.
