Asus Is Betting India’s Next PC User Won’t Buy A ‘Regular’ Laptop

For years, Chromebooks occupied a tiny corner of India’s laptop market, overshadowed by Windows machines that dominated classrooms, offices and homes. Asus now believes that equation is beginning to change. The company is expanding its Chromebook lineup in India, including the launch of the Asus Chromebook CM32 Detachable, a two-in-one device that can function as both a laptop and a tablet.

Behind the move is a broader bet: that millions of Indians who have grown up on smartphones may not necessarily want a conventional PC experience when they buy their first computer.

“The Indian PC market is evolving in ways that are creating new opportunities for categories that were previously considered niche,” Arnold Su (pictured above), Vice President, Consumer and Gaming PC, System Business Group, Asus India, told ABP Live English.

The wager comes at a time when India’s PC market is showing signs of renewed momentum. PC shipments rose 31.9 per cent year-on-year to 4.4 million units during the first quarter of 2026, according to industry data cited by Asus, driven by notebook demand and government-backed education programmes.

Yet the company’s thesis extends beyond shipment growth.

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The Smartphone Generation Comes Of Age

For nearly a decade, India’s digital revolution has been powered by smartphones. More than 900 million Indians now use the internet, with mobile devices serving as the primary gateway to everything from entertainment and payments to education and communication.

Asus argues that many of those users are now reaching a point where a phone is no longer enough.

Students need larger screens for assignments. Young professionals need keyboards for productivity. First-time computer buyers want devices that can handle research, collaboration and content creation without the complexity traditionally associated with PCs.

Rather than replacing smartphones, Chromebooks are emerging as a second screen for the smartphone generation. “We do not necessarily see Chromebooks replacing smartphones or tablets. Instead, they are increasingly emerging as a complementary category that bridges the gap between mobile devices and traditional PCs,” Su said.

Because ChromeOS is deeply integrated with Google’s ecosystem and supports Android applications, Asus believes the transition feels familiar to users already comfortable with Android smartphones.

The Real Challenge Isn’t Price

Conventional wisdom suggests Chromebooks win on affordability. Asus agrees price matters, but says cost is no longer the biggest obstacle. The larger problem is awareness.

For decades, Indian consumers have equated personal computing with Windows. Many buyers continue to judge Chromebooks using the same criteria they apply to traditional laptops, often overlooking cloud-based workflows that increasingly define how younger users work and learn.

“Millions of Indians are highly comfortable using Android devices and Google services, yet many have never owned a personal computer,” Su said. To lower barriers, Asus has introduced financing plans with no-cost EMIs starting at Rs 5,165 per month. But executives believe changing consumer perceptions will be more important than reducing sticker prices.

The company has launched initiatives such as Asus Live, where potential buyers can experience Chromebooks through demonstrations and interactive sessions.

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Why Asus Thinks AI Could Be Chromebook’s Moment

The rise of artificial intelligence may offer another opening.

Much of the industry’s AI conversation has centred around premium AI PCs equipped with dedicated neural processing units and high-end processors. Asus, however, sees a different path emerging. As cloud-based AI services become more powerful, Chromebooks could offer access to many of the same productivity benefits without expensive hardware.

The latest Asus Chromebooks include access to Google AI Pro, which bundles Gemini AI tools, NotebookLM and 5TB of cloud storage. “From a consumer perspective, the focus should not be on where AI is processed but on the value it delivers,” Su said.

That view reflects a growing debate across the technology industry. While manufacturers race to market AI PCs, cloud-based AI services are making advanced capabilities available on a wider range of devices.

Betting On Schools And Flexible Computing

Education remains central to Asus’ Chromebook strategy.

The company has partnered with the VIDYA Foundation to support digital literacy programmes for more than 6,000 students across Mumbai, Goa and Gujarat. Through the Asus Foundation, it has also established computer labs in schools across Ladakh.

At the same time, Asus is betting that form factors themselves are changing. The Chromebook CM32 Detachable arrives as consumers increasingly seek devices that blur the line between laptop and tablet. Hybrid work, digital classrooms and mobile productivity are driving demand for touchscreens, stylus support and lightweight designs that can adapt to multiple environments.

Historically, such devices struggled with trade-offs involving price, performance and battery life. Asus argues those compromises are shrinking. 

Whether Chromebooks become mainstream in India remains uncertain. Windows still dominates personal computing, and consumer habits change slowly. But Asus believes the next phase of India’s digital journey may look very different from the last. Instead of asking millions of smartphone users to adapt to traditional PCs, the company is betting that PCs will have to adapt to them.