HP and Dell laptops have continued their market dominance in India with a sales share 33.2 percent and 23.1 percent, respectively according to the latest Laptop Buyer Insights Survey, March 2023 published by 91Mobiles, India’s number one gadget discovery site. The survey did a year-on-year comparison of laptop ownership for 12 months. It compared the March 2023 data with the corresponding month in the previous year.
91Mobiles announced the pan-India survey recently. Apple, according to the survey, declined in ownership share by a good margin over the past year. Apple’s margin dropped to 2.7 percent in March 2023 as compared to 4.3 percent recorded in March last year. Chinese manufacturer Lenovo too dropped marginally in terms of ownership during the period.
The results revealed that a few brands have gained marginally over the year including Acer, MI, and MSI.
“The survey results highlight that the globalised Indian market offers several options for new-age laptop buyers. Our survey was carried out across a varied group of respondents in the age bracket range of 18 to 44 years. The scenario also presents a healthy picture of the market competition, price offerings and specifications. And brands are ready to take on the challenge,” said Nitin Mathur, co-founder & COO of 91mobiles.
Interestingly, Apple is also the leading brand when it comes to brand loyalty among its users. The brand commands the loyalty of over 77 percent of its current users. It beats Asus, HP, Acer, and Dell by significant margins, the survey added.
After Apple, ASUS seems to be the brand with the most loyal users as 64 percent are likely to purchase a new laptop from the brand. It is for this reason Apple is likely to gain a maximum number of new users. When asked about the preferred brand of choice for their next laptop purchase, around 55 percent of the survey respondents will either buy HP or Dell laptops.
The 91Mobiles survey revealed some interesting trends in consumer preferences and choices while purchasing laptops. Most buyers, while making a purchase, see the performance of the laptop, it said. More than 75 percent of the survey respondents consider performance as the most important factor for selecting a laptop brand. Battery life and storage are the other two prominent specifications buyers look at. Form factor, design and monitor display are secondary factors when buying a laptop. On this aspect, almost 70 percent of people consider the processor and its quality as the most important factors while evaluating a laptop’s performance.
What specifications matter?
Approximately 60 percent of the survey respondents preferred Intel-powered laptops. AMD, Apple, Qualcomm, and MediaTek followed. However, a decent 17 percent of buyers do not look at the processor brand.
Price specifications
More people are buying laptops priced ₹50k and higher, compared to 2022, the survey revealed, indicating that buyers are willing to shell out more for higher specifications and better performance.
However, laptops priced between ₹30,000 and ₹50,000 continue to dominate buyers’ preference. When it comes to purchasing a new laptop, more than 54 percent of the survey takers are likely to pay the full amount upfront, the survey added. Also, people are willing to purchase from online channels if the laptop is priced cheaper.
“The pricing trends highlight the fact that the Indian market remains price sensitive and consumers are often inclined toward buying which is value for money yet gives a quality performance. And laptop brands are willing to meet the customer needs,” added Bharanidharan Viswanathan, co-founder & CEO of 91mobiles.
