Loads of graphics cards got more expensive

Last week, a series of products that had having been exempt from tariffs – thanks to the ongoing US vs. China trade war – lost that status and therefore in 2021 it will be more expensive. These products include graphics cards and motherboards.

Like The New York Times reported last week, “Mr. Trump began imposing tariffs on more than $ 360 billion in Chinese products in 2018, prompting thousands of companies to ask the administration for temporary exemptions, excluding them from taxes. ”

These exemptions have already been made, and PC hardware companies are among those that have already raised their prices to accommodate tariffs. While this affects most companies in this part of the industry, since so many components and products come from China, ASUS is the only one to come out so far and issue a statement explaining the increases, saying:

Update on MSRP pricing for ASUS components in 2021. This update applies to graphics cards and motherboards * We have an announcement regarding the MSRP price changes that will take effect in early 2021 for our award winning series of graphics cards and motherboards. Our new MSRP reflects increases in component costs. operational costs and logistical activities plus the continuation of import tariffs. We work closely with our supply and logistics partners to minimize price increases. ASUS is very grateful for your continued business and support as we navigate this time of unprecedented market changes. * additional models may increase as we move forward in the first quarter.

So, what kind of price increase are we considering? People who pay much more attention to these things than I do I’ve found examples of cards getting more expensive, like the ASUS ‘RTX 3090 going from $ 1799 to $ 1979. The size of the tariffs themselves it is “Either an additional 7.5 percent or 25 percent tariff, depending on their product”, but as you can see from the RTX 3090 price, companies are not passing on all the cost to consumers, they will be looking to cut costs / absorb part of the blow itself.

PC hardware costs were already getting out of control thanks to bitcoin miners, shortages of supplies and money changers. Having something else coming up to make things even more expensive sucks!