Primebook has emerged as one of India’s most distinctive homegrown computing brands, driven by a mission to make powerful, purpose-built devices accessible to first-time digital users and beyond. With the launch of the new Primebook 2 series, the company is doubling down on its philosophy of creating a seamless hardware–software ecosystem grounded in affordability, performance, and localisation.
In this conversation, Chitranshu Mahant, Co-founder & CEO of Primebook, shares insights into the brand’s journey, the evolution of PrimeOS, the thinking behind their latest devices, and how Primebook is carving its own space in India’s fast-expanding computing landscape.
Primebook was founded on the idea of building a learning ecosystem, not just a laptop. What inspired this mission, and how has it shaped your journey so far?
Primebook began with a simple understanding: Young India doesn’t just need another cost-effective laptop; rather, it needs a complete computing ecosystem that matches how the new generation explores, imagines, learns, creates, and works. We saw millions of young users entering the digital world through phones, but traditional laptops weren’t built to meet their unique needs. So our mission became to reimagine the laptop from scratch: an Android-based ecosystem optimised for accessibility, speed, and flexibility. This mission has shaped everything, from building PrimeOS to creating our own App Store, integrating Cloud PC and AI-led tools, and designing the desktop-class multi-tasking interface to optimising the battery alongside keyboard and touchpad inputs. We’re not just shipping hardware; we’re building a new category of personal computing for India’s youth.
What were the key challenges you faced in developing an affordable learning-focused computing platform, and how did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge was balancing affordability with real performance. Education-focused devices often compromise heavily on speed, storage, and experience, which affects learning outcomes. We solved this by redesigning the stack end-to-end:
- Developing PrimeOS in-house, optimised for laptops instead of phones or tablets
- Building the Prime App Store, so users can access all Android-first educational and productivity apps without relying on Google Play Store
- Using UFS storage and high-efficiency chipsets, which deliver desktop-class speed at a cost-effective price
- Bringing Cloud PC, so even heavy Windows/ Linux software becomes accessible on a cost-effective device
These innovations allowed us to deliver a powerful and scalable learning platform without increasing cost. Having said that, our focus is not to develop a learning-focused computing platform, but a productivity-focused computing ecosystem that can benefit Young India as a whole, not just students or learners. Primebook is becoming the go-to computing platform for young Indians who want power, speed and flexibility without the premium price tag.
With the launch of the Primebook 2 series, what are the major improvements or innovations users should know about?
Primebook 2 is our biggest generational leap. Users get:
- Up to 2x faster performance with the MediaTek Helio G99 CPU
- Faster UFS storage vs eMMC in earlier models
- PrimeOS 3.0 upgraded to Android 15, built for speed, multitasking and stability
- Cloud PC integration, bringing a full Windows/Linux desktop to cost-effective hardware
- AI Assistant powered by Gemini for smarter, contextual support while one learns, works, or creates
- Improved Keymapping, addition of mobile-grade sensors, and a refined UI
Overall, the series brings high-end speed, modern software, and a wider ecosystem, all at an accessible price point.
What differentiates Primebook’s hardware–software approach from other entry-level or education-focused laptop brands in the market?
Most entry-level laptops run either Windows, which isn’t optimised for cost-effective hardware, or ChromeOS, which is primarily web-first and limited for everyday productivity. Primebook takes a fundamentally different approach.
We engineer both the hardware and PrimeOS together, so everything, from loading speed and battery efficiency to app compatibility and everyday usability, is precisely optimised for our laptops.
Key differentiators include:
- PrimeOS, a fully Android-15-based laptop OS
- Prime App Store with app request feature
- Cloud PC for full Windows & Linux access when needed
- AI-led features, including Companion Mode and Global Search
- Built-in keymapping for touch-first Android apps
- Mobile-grade sensors like GPS, gyroscope, and brightness/orientation sensors
- Battery optimisation, which allows users to get up to 14 hours of lifeshell, which is rare in the under 20K laptop category.
- PrimeCoding, an offline, beginner-friendly app to learn and practice coding
This integrated approach lets us deliver a faster, richer, and more versatile computing experience at a fraction of the cost of any traditional laptop.
How has PrimeOS evolved over time, and what unique advantages does it offer for students and first-time digital users?
PrimeOS started as a lightweight laptop operating system for Young India, and today it has evolved into a full-fledged computing ecosystem. But the evolution wasn’t limited to adding or improving features, but redefining what a youth-first laptop operating system should be.
Over the years, we’ve strengthened it across three core pillars:
- Performance & Responsiveness: We kept redesigning PrimeOS from scratch to offer desktop-class multitasking, faster app launches, and smoother workflows, something traditional Android builds aren’t designed for.
- A Purpose-Built User Interface: The UI isn’t a stretched phone/tablet screen. It’s a desktop-grade interface with improved window management, task controls, and interaction patterns tailored for keyboard-trackpad users.
- Intelligence & Ecosystem Expansion: With features like Live On-Screen AI Assistant, AI-Powered Global Search, Keymapping, and deep Cloud PC integration, PrimeOS now connects Android apps, AI tools, and Windows/Linux desktops into one seamless experience.
We’ve also introduced innovations like PrimeCoding for beginner coders, and mobile-grade sensors that unlock experiences no entry-level OS offers. For students, first-time users, creators, and young professionals, PrimeOS delivers something very unique: The flexibility and familiarity of Android, the speed and usability of a desktop OS, and the versatility of a full computing ecosystem, all on cost-effective hardware.
What are your current focus areas in R&D—whether in performance, software optimisation, AI-led learning tools, or content partnerships?
Our R&D continues to build on the core pillars that define Primebook:
- Performance optimisation to keep the system fast, responsive, and power-efficient
- PrimeOS enhancements for smoother multitasking, stronger security, and better connectivity
- Ecosystem growth, including deeper Cloud PC capabilities and more tools for creators, learners, and developers
A major area of investment now is advancing device intelligence. We are strengthening on-device AI so Primebook can understand context more naturally and assist users across tasks with greater accuracy. This includes improving screen-aware contextual AI, enabling real-time interpretation of what’s happening on screen, and offering smart, timely suggestions.
We’re also building a stronger foundational AI layer that can eventually streamline routine actions, reduce friction, and elevate everyday productivity. To support this, we’re optimising how on-device and cloud-based AI work together, while simultaneously enhancing our Prime X Cloud PC integration for seamless transitions between local and cloud computing.
Across all of this, we are investing heavily in AI-focused engineering talent and robust data protection frameworks, ensuring innovation progresses responsibly and securely.
How is Primebook contributing to the government’s “Make in India” vision in terms of manufacturing, localisation, and ecosystem development?
Primebook actively supports the “Make in India” vision across three fundamental layers:
- Manufacturing: Our devices are manufactured and assembled in India, strengthening local production, supply chains, and employment opportunities.
- Indigenous Software Development: Unlike most laptop brands that rely entirely on global operating systems, Primebook runs on PrimeOS, our own homegrown operating system. In fact, the full software stack, including the Prime App Store, PrimeCoding, Keymapping, Cloud PC, and our AI features, is all conceptualised, engineered, and optimised in India by our Indian teams. This makes Primebook one of the very few computing brands building both hardware and a fully indigenous software ecosystem within the country.
- Ecosystem Building: We collaborate with Indian app developers, education and enterprise partners, government agencies, and retail networks to grow the broader digital ecosystem.
Our long-term goal is simple: to build India’s first true end-to-end computing ecosystem, from OS to apps to hardware, and take that innovation to the global stage.
Finally, what’s next on your roadmap—new products, OS upgrades, partnerships, or expansion plans?
We’re expanding on three major fronts:
- New Products: More devices are to come in the Primebook lineup, including upgrades in performance and new form factors like detachable and bendable ones.
- OS Upgrades: A more powerful version of PrimeOS with deeper AI features, like Operator Mode, smoother multitasking, and better cross-device integration.
- Cloud PC Expansion: Wider access to Linux and the upcoming Windows environment, plus more tools for creators, learners, and developers.
We’re also strengthening partnerships in B2B, B2G, and content bundling, and expanding our offline presence across India. The next wave of Primebook is about scale, ecosystem depth, and making advanced computing more accessible than ever.
