India’s PC market sets record in third quarter of 2024

India's personal computer (PC) market, encompassing desktops, notebooks, and workstations, achieved a milestone in the third quarter of 2024 (3Q24) with a record 4.49 million units shipped, according to the IDC Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker. This marked a marginal 0.1% year-on-year growth, driven by festive season demand and an uptick in commercial investments.

Desktops saw an 8.1% decline in shipments year-on-year, while notebooks and workstations recorded modest gains of 2.8% and 2.4%, respectively. Premium notebooks, priced above $1,000, experienced strong demand, growing by 7.6% year-on-year, largely due to heavy discounts and bundled deals during online sales events.

Despite vendors offering aggressive pricing on e-commerce platforms, the consumer PC segment contracted by 2.9% year-on-year as inventory management became more streamlined, avoiding the overstocking issues of 2023. Meanwhile, the commercial sector expanded by 4.4%, with enterprise demand rising sharply by 9.6%, reflecting a growing focus on IT infrastructure upgrades across industries.

Bharath Shenoy, Research Manager at IDC India & South Asia, highlighted that the early onset of e-tail sales in late September gave brands a significant boost. Companies leveraged a mix of strategies, including discounts, cashback offers, and bundled accessories, not only on e-commerce platforms but also in physical stores and large-format retail outlets. This multi-channel approach helped brands tap into diverse consumer tiers, resulting in one of the strongest quarters for PC shipments in history.

HP Inc. emerged as the market leader with a 29% share, maintaining its dominance in both the commercial (34.3%) and consumer (24.8%) segments. The company shipped over 1.05 million notebooks, marking its third-best quarter ever, supported by a 30.2% growth in enterprise demand and strong consumer sales during the festive period. Lenovo followed with a 17.3% market share, bolstered by large enterprise orders and momentum in the small and medium business (SMB) segment. It also saw moderate consumer growth of 3% year-on-year, supported by a focus on gaming laptops and online promotions.

Dell Technologies and Acer Group both secured a 14.6% market share, with Dell narrowly leading in total shipments. Dell performed well in the SMB sector, recording a 14.9% growth year-on-year, and held a 20.8% share in the commercial market. However, its limited participation in online sales led to a 5.4% decline in the consumer segment.

Acer posted strong growth of 26.2% year-on-year, driven by key education projects and enterprise orders. The company led the commercial desktop category with a 30.2% share and saw a remarkable 38% increase in consumer shipments during the festive season.

Asus rounded out the top five with a 9.7% market share, experiencing a 22.3% year-on-year decline due to leaner inventory but maintaining a strong position in the consumer segment with a 16.2% share and achieving growth in its commercial sales.