India PC shipments rise beyond pandemic peak as first-time users upgrade devices

India’s personal computer market recorded its strongest year ever in 2025, surpassing the demand spike during the COVID-19 pandemic as millions of people who bought laptops for the first time during lockdowns began replacing and upgrading those devices.

Shipments of desktops, notebooks, and workstations in India increased 10.2% year over year to 15.9 million units in 2025, according to analysts at IDC. It is the first time annual shipments in the country have gexceededthe 15 million-unit mark, surpassing the highs recorded in 2021 and 2022.

Lockdowns during the pandemic introduced many consumers in India to PCs for the first time, broadening the country’s PC user base and creating a wave of replacement demand as those machines get older, IDC research manager Bharath Shenoy said. He added that growing digitisation, higher PC adoption among startups and small businesses, and broader availability of devices in smaller cities have also helped sustain demand.

India’s contribution to global PC shipments rose to 5.6% in 2025, up from 3.3% in 2020, according to IDC data that was shared. Globally, PC shipments rose 8.1% to 284.7 million units in 2025, based on IDC’s earlier report. India continues to rank among the fastest-growing PC markets, with demand expanding beyond the country’s largest urban centres.

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

Enterprise demand was partly driven by a Windows refresh cycle last year, while several small and medium-sized businesses, along with some public sector bodies, are now beginning to replace ageing devices, Shenoy said.

IDC said HP, Lenovo, Dell, Acer, and Asus were among the leading PC vendors in India last year. Apple’s Mac computers, however, continue to hold a smaller share of India’s PC market than they do in the United States. MacBooks made up about 5.6% of India’s notebook segment in 2025, compared with roughly 11% to 12% globally and around 20% in the U.S., according to IDC.

IDC data shows that MacBooks’ share of India’s notebook market reached a high of 7.4% in 2022, rising from 3.9% in 2020.

Around 85% to 87% of Mac shipments in India come from the consumer market, Shenoy said, highlighting Apple’s still-limited presence in enterprise purchasing. Meanwhile, the premium notebook category — devices priced above $1,000 — grew 8.2% year over year in 2025, pointing to continued demand for higher-end machines.

Demand for Macs in India could get a boost after Apple introduced its more affordable MacBook Neo this week, especially as Windows notebooks are becoming pricier, Shenoy said. He added that Apple is also expanding its footprint in the commercial segment, which may help it capture a larger share of the market.

Artificial intelligence features are also starting to appear more often in premium laptops, though they are not yet a major driver of PC demand in India, Shenoy said. He noted that many enterprises that once purchased premium notebooks are now shifting to AI-enabled PCs, as those devices fall within the same budget range. At the same time, demand from content creators may also support adoption as digital media consumption continues to rise.

Even after the market’s strong showing last year, near-term challenges may emerge as rising prices and component shortages put pressure on demand, Shenoy also said. He expects PC shipments in India could fall by about 5% in 2026, compared with a low double-digit decline projected globally.

India is likely to outperform many other markets due to its relatively low PC penetration and the sheer size of potential demand, Shenoy said. PC penetration in the country is estimated to be around 17% to 20%, leaving substantial room for future expansion as digital adoption continues across households and businesses.

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