Hewlett-Packard To Reduce Pc Prices By 30%

Hewlett-Packard has decided to slash prices of certain brands of its PCs by at least 30 per cent as part of an initiative to capture the mainstream PC mart.

Hewlett-Packard Brio computers would now be available at Rs 41,800, which, the company claims, is 25-30 per cent below similarly configured personal computers made available by other MNCs in the country. "The local PC market is divided among MNCs and local brands. HP's new price-points bridge the gap between the two markets," said Ravi Aggarwal, HP India's vice-president (computer products).

Aggarwal added, "The Brio PC is not just about breakthrough prices. We have designed the Brio line for an increasing number of customers concerned with the initial cost of acquiring a PC." The HP Brio PC line includes a full range of features. The systems come with Microsoft Windows 98; 32MB SDRAM; 2.1 GB or 4.3 GB hard-drive and 6-bit audio sound.

The company also said that Brio systems come with pre-installed network drivers for easy setup. The system has built-in networking software, which turns itself on with an optional networking card and is backed by HP's three-year on-site warranty.

Subin Joseph, market development manager said, "We expect to lead the industry in this arena with our successful `build-on-demand' supply chain programme, strong channel partners and a broad PC line."

According to Dataquest Top 20, HP India grew 50 per cent in number of desktops sold which, the magazine stated, was well above the market rate of growth.

But with Suresh Rajpal announcing its decision to leave HP India after having served as its president for nearly a decade, the firm has to face stiff competition from rivals, computer industry analysts said.