Branded PCs finally make a mark in the domestic market which has been until now dominated by unorganized players.

If the growth in market share is any indication, branded PCs (Personal Computers) are finally finding a strong foothold in India. Well supported by duty reductions on hardware in recent years that narrowed the price gap between branded and assembled PCs, and increased consumer shift towards branded PCs, the branded PC players have begun to make their presence felt. Last year itself, the branded PC market saw explosion in growth, with the topline vaulting by 74%, in contrast to the assembled PC segment that grew by a paltry 2%. And the future looks bright for them given that India, with a relatively low penetration rate of around 13 PCs per thousand people, offers huge growth potential for the PC industry.

The PC market in India has seen significant changes over the last decade when owning a computer used to be a matter of pride and class. Today, a PC is no longer seen as an item for the affluent —a decently configured PC is easily obtainable at around Rs. 10,000. The decline in hardware prices, owing to more efficient manufacturing and technological advances, besides duty cuts, coupled with increased product innovation, has enabled branded PC makers to grab market share. According to IDC, branded PC segment grew at a whopping 74%, while its market share reached 49.2%, riding on the back of a buoyant market. As per the Manufacturers’ Association for Information Technology (MAIT), India, the total PC sales crossed 3.6 million units during the fiscal led by a strong demand from the households. According to estimates by research firms, the industry, in fact, grew consistently for the last two years at a healthy 30%.