Asus, a prominent PC brand in 2026, is strategically navigating challenges of rising costs and shrinking margins by intensifying its focus on premium innovation and swift market delivery. Arnold Su, the Vice President of Consumer and Gaming PC at Asus India, emphasizes the company’s recent success in achieving over 20 percent market share in Q1, with a notable year-over-year growth exceeding 25 percent and even surpassing 30 percent during specific months.
The surge in demand was partly fueled by consumer anticipation of imminent price hikes, prompting advanced purchases. Market dynamics, influenced by various industry stakeholders, have led to a substantial spike in laptop prices, with an additional 5-10 percent increase looming on the horizon.
The price escalation is attributed not only to inflation but also to the surging global demand for Artificial Intelligence, particularly Nvidia’s AI servers requiring High Bandwidth Memory (HBM). This demand has disrupted the supply chain, causing a significant scarcity in regular consumer memory supply and leading to exorbitant price hikes, projected to stabilize at 40-45 percent higher than the previous year.
Despite these challenges, Asus remains confident in the Indian market, underscoring its shift from treating India as a secondary market to recognizing it as a key player in driving product decisions and market success. The company’s expansion strategy extends beyond urban centers, aiming to reach all 788 districts in India, with a focus on enhancing premium customer service experiences.
Asus’s commitment to premiumization extends to its product offerings, with innovative features trickling down to more accessible price ranges, such as the utilization of new materials and cutting-edge technology across product lines. Additionally, the brand is adapting to the evolving industry landscape by categorizing PCs into “Everyday AI” and “Advanced AI” tiers, anticipating a future where AI capabilities become standard across all PCs.
Even with the entry of new competitors like the Apple MacBook Neo, Asus views this as a positive development that will contribute to the overall growth of the PC market in India. Embracing competition, Asus sees collaborative efforts among PC brands as essential for driving increased PC penetration in the country, ultimately benefiting the industry as a whole.