PC shipments in India surpass epidemic risk as first-time users upgrade

The Indian PC market had its strongest year on record in 2025, surging in demand during the COVID-19 pandemic as millions of first-time buyers who bought laptops during the lockdown began upgrading their devices.

Shipping of desktops, notebooks, and workstations to India has changed to +10.2% per year up to 15.9 million units in 2025, according to experts at IDC. The figure is the first time that annual shipments have crossed the 15 million mark, surpassing the peaks seen in 2021 and 2022.

The pandemic-driven lockdown exposed many people in India to PCs for the first time, expanding the country’s PC adoption landscape and creating a demand for hardware upgrades like the age of the year, Bharath Shenoy, research manager at IDC, told TechCrunch. Digital growth, the rise of PCs among startups and small businesses, and the availability of devices in smaller cities are also contributing to the demand, he added.

India’s share of global PC shipments will rise to 5.6% in 2025 from 3.3% in 2020, IDC data shared with TechCrunch shows. Worldwide shipping for PC growth 8.1% to 284.7 million units in 2025, according to a previous IDC report. The South Asian brand remains one of the fastest growing markets for PCs as demand continues to expand beyond major cities.

Business buyers accounted for 52.9% of PC shipments in India in 2025, while the consumer segment made up the remaining 47.1%, IDC said.

Business purchases were driven by the Windows refresh process last year, as small and medium-sized businesses and some government agencies began replacing older hardware, Shenoy told TechCrunch.

HP, Lenovo, Dell, Acer, and Asus were among the top PC vendors in India last year, IDC said. However, Apple’s Mac computers have a smaller share of the Indian computer market than the US MacBooks accounted for about 5.6% of the Indian notebook market in 2025, compared to about 11% to 12% globally and about 20% in the US, according to IDC.

The share of MacBooks in the Indian notebook market rose to 7.4% in 2022, from 3.9% in 2020, IDC forecasts show.

About 85% to 87% of Mac shipments in India come from the consumer segment, Shenoy said, reflecting Apple’s presence in the business market. The premium notebook segment – devices worth more than $1,000 – grew 8.2% annually in 2025, reflecting the continued demand for high-end devices.

Demand for Macs in India could see a boost as Apple this week introduced cheaper models MacBook Neowhile Windows notebooks are becoming more expensive, Shenoy said. The Cupertino company is also looking to expand its presence in the commercial sector, which will help it gain market share, he added.

Apple did not respond to a request for comment.

Artificial intelligence devices will also begin to appear in high-end laptops, although they have not been a major driver of PC demand in India, Shenoy said. Many businesses that previously bought premium notebooks are now opting for AI-enabled PCs because they come at the same level, while demand from product manufacturers can also help drive children’s consumption of TVs, he added.

Despite last year’s strong performance, the market may face headwinds soon as prices rise and a shortage of components weighs on demand, Shenoy said. PC shipments in India are likely to decline by around 5% in 2026, compared to double-digit declines expected globally, he said.

India is expected to do better than most other markets because of its low PC availability and high demand, Shenoy told TechCrunch. PC penetration in the country is estimated at 17% to 20%, leaving room for growth as digital adoption spreads across households and businesses.

The market may remain under pressure until 2027 before returning to growth as business and consumer demand stabilizes, Shenoy said.