The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently released a list of tech products that would be exempt from upcoming 145% tariffs on Chinese goods, offering temporary relief to companies and consumers who feared a rise in prices.
Unfortunately, the optimism was short-lived. Officials quickly clarified that tech items like computers, smartphones, and other consumer hardware, will simply move to a different tariff category, one that still includes a new, pending rate.
Howard Lutnick, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, assured on Sunday that the new tariffs on tech products will go into effect in about a month. President Donald Trump later confirmed this on social media, stating his intentions clearly.
“Nobody is getting off the hook,” Trump wrote. “There was no exemption announced on Friday. These products are subject to the existing 20% tariff and are just moving to a different tariff bucket.”
Although the final rate might be lower than feared, there is still concern about how this will affect hardware prices, especially PC components. Consumers now brace for potential price increases on computers, chips, processors, storage units, and routers, among other products.
Gaming Consoles Aren’t Spared
Consoles are in a tougher spot. They were never included in the CBP’s initial list, and as a result, gamers are anticipating an overall price hike. The timing is particularly sensitive for Nintendo, which is preparing to launch the Switch 2.
In recent days, Sony announced price increases for the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation Plus in several markets. The entire industry appears poised to raise prices due to the ongoing trade tensions and high inflation.