India’s PC market (excluding tablets) recorded 13% year-on-year growth in Q1 2025, reaching 3.3 million units, according to the latest research from Canalys, now part of Omdia.
The growth was primarily fuelled by a robust 21% surge in notebook shipments, which hit 2.4 million units, while desktop shipments fell 3%, totaling 9,06,000 units.
Notebooks continue to serve as the backbone of India’s digital transformation, driven by evolving hybrid work models and rising productivity needs across both consumer and business segments.
In contrast, tablet shipments fell sharply, declining 24% year-on-year to 1.03 million units, reflecting a market correction after pandemic-driven highs and delayed institutional demand.
Market Outlook
Looking ahead, the Indian PC market is expected to grow 6% in 2025, surpassing 15 million units. Tablet shipments, however, are forecasted to contract by 8%. Growth momentum is expected to pick up in 2026, driven by device refresh cycles and increasing demand for AI-ready infrastructure.
AI and Premium PCs Gaining Traction
AI-capable notebooks saw explosive growth of 253% year-on-year, albeit from a small base, as enterprises and consumers begin embracing AI as a core computing feature. Meanwhile, premium notebooks (priced above $1,000) posted 49% growth, reflecting rising demand for high-performance, multi-purpose devices.
“Enterprises increasingly view AI as a core feature, while consumers are turning to premium PCs for their multi-use value,” said Ashweej Aithal, senior analyst at Canalys.
Tier-2 and Tier-3 Cities: The Next Growth Frontier
India’s smaller cities are rapidly emerging as key growth engines for the PC market. “As digital awareness grows and access to broadband, education, and e-services expands, consumers in these regions are turning to PCs for learning, work, and entertainment,” Aithal noted.
These consumers are value-conscious and exhibit research-driven purchasing behavior, prioritising performance, durability, and after-sales service in addition to cost.
PC Vendor Performance
In Q1 2025, HP retained its position as India’s top PC vendor with a 28.9% market share, though its lead narrowed due to modest 4.6% shipment growth.
Lenovo emerged as the fastest-growing major brand, expanding its market share from 15.7% to 18.8% with 34.8% annual growth, driven by strong consumer and commercial demand.
Apple saw the highest year-on-year growth at 73%, nearly doubling its market share to 7.1%, thanks to rising interest in premium devices.
Acer and Dell posted stable shipments but lost market share amid heightened competition.
Overall, market leadership is shifting as buyers increasingly favor performance and innovation.
Tablet Vendor Performance
Samsung continued to lead India’s tablet market in Q1 2025 with a 29.9% share, but its shipments fell sharply by 33.4% amid growing competition and softened consumer demand.
Apple surged to second place with 26.8% growth, increasing its share to 15.8%, driven by strong demand for iPads in premium and education sectors.
Lenovo and Xiaomi also posted solid double-digit growth, strengthening their positions in the mid-range segment.
Acer experienced the steepest decline at 67.2%, as government and education tenders slowed.
The tablet market is clearly segmenting, with premium and educational demand rising while budget and institutional demand lags behind.