Indian PC market sees mixed trends in 3Q24: HP leads as premium notebook sales surge

New Delhi [India], December 1 : The desktop category experienced an 8.1 per cent year-on-year (YoY) decline, while the notebook and workstation categories recorded modest growth, rising by 2.8 per cent YoY and 2.4 per cent YoY, respectively. The premium notebook segment, priced above USD 1,000, saw significant growth of 7.6 per cent YoY, driven by online festival sales.
The consumer segment, however, registered a 2.9 per cent YoY decline despite aggressive discounts offered by vendors across e-commerce platforms.
In contrast to the overstocking observed during the same period in 2023, demand in the third quarter of 2024 (3Q24) was more organic. Vendors refrained from overstocking, leading to the marginal decline, according to the report.
The commercial and enterprise segments showed positive growth, with YoY increases of 4.4 per cent and 9.6 per cent, respectively.
"The e-tail sales, which typically commence in the second week of October, started in late September this year, driving a surge in PC shipments," said Bharath Shenoy, Research Manager, IDC India and South Asia.
"Brands leveraged e-tail sales by offering steep discounts, cashbacks, and bundled accessories. Many extended similar pricing to their brand stores and offline channels, such as Larger Format Retail stores (LFRs), resulting in the second-biggest consumer quarter in history. These strategies enabled vendors to penetrate various market tiers, ultimately boosting consumer PC sales," he added.
According to IDC data, HP Inc led the market with a 29 per cent share in 3Q24, dominating both the commercial and consumer segments with shares of 34.3 per cent and 24.8 per cent, respectively.
HP shipped 1.05 million notebooks in 3Q24, marking its third-best quarter ever. This was driven by robust enterprise segment performance, which grew 30.2 per cent YoY, and strong demand for consumer notebooks during festive sales.
Lenovo ranked second with a 17.3 per cent market share. It benefited from significant enterprise orders and momentum in the small and medium business (SMB) segment, achieving a 20.3 per cent share in the commercial segment. In the consumer market, Lenovo's focus on branded gaming notebooks and e-tail channels during festive sales contributed to a 3 per cent YoY growth, giving it a 15 per cent share in the segment.
Dell Technologies ranked third with a 14.6 per cent share. Although Dell secured second place in the commercial segment with a 20.8 per cent share and 4.7 per cent YoY growth, it was less aggressive in e-tail sales, leading to a 5.4 per cent YoY decline in the consumer segment.
Acer also held a 14.6 per cent share, tying with Dell for third place. Acer achieved a 26.2 per cent YoY growth in 3Q24, driven by the partial fulfilment of education projects and significant enterprise orders. It led the commercial desktop category with a 30.2 per cent share. Acer's focus on e-tail channels during festive sales also resulted in a 38 per cent YoY surge in consumer segment shipments.
Asus, ranked fifth with a 9.7 per cent share, saw a 22.3 per cent YoY decline due to leaner inventory levels compared to the previous year. However, Asus remained second only to HP in the consumer segment, capturing 16.2 per cent of the market. It also achieved 5.5 per cent YoY growth in the commercial segment, which remained its primary focus in 2024.
Commenting on the outlook for the Indian PC market, Navkendar Singh, Associate Vice President, Devices Research, IDC India, South Asia and ANZ, said, "The commercial PC market in India is on a recovery path as enterprises gradually begin refreshing their IT devices. IT/ITES buying has resumed and is expected to gain momentum in calendar year (CY) 2025. Meanwhile, the growing adoption of PCs for gaming and content creation, coupled with increasing emphasis on AI features and tools, is expected to drive the consumer segment in 4Q24 and CY2025, positioning the market for a strong close to 2024 and a positive 2025."