Will Tariffs Make Computers and Other Hardware More Expensive?
If you’ve paid any attention to the news recently, you’ve surely heard about the United States implementing tariffs on foreign goods.
While much of the discussion has centered around grocery store products, steel and aluminum, electronics (specifically computer and other hardware parts) are, unfortunately, not exempt.
The United States heavily relies on China and other Asian countries for the production of laptops, desktops and other hardware. And with the 20% tariff recently implemented on Chinese imports, it will cost a little more to buy that new computer because most companies don’t want — or simply cannot afford — these increased costs to eat into their profit margins.
So does a 20% tariff mean you can expect to pay 20% more? Not necessarily. Let’s look at a popular laptop we sell and break down how much the price has increased.
Laptop Price Increase
The HP EliteBook 860 G11 16-inch Notebook offers great cost/benefit value by efficiently running multiple applications, but it’s not ideal for demanding tasks like video editing or computer-aided design.
In January 2025, we sold this computer for $1,464, but it now sells for $1,650 for a price increase of just under 13%.
Now, this doesn’t mean that every laptop is going to cost 13% more, as every company will adjust their prices differently and each product will be affected differently based on the parts. But it gives you a good barometer that you can expect to pay around $200 more for a new laptop.
Other Hardware Impacted by Tariffs
Not only will laptops and desktops see price increases, but you can expect other hardware, such as firewalls, switches, wireless access points, UPS battery backups and more to be affected by the tariffs.
For example, we primarily sell Cisco firewalls. While Cisco hasn’t announced any price increases and we haven’t seen any yet, there’s a good chance those products will become more expensive soon.
“Even if tariffs are lifted, any stock that arrives in the United States during the tariff still comes with a higher cost to the manufacturer. It wouldn’t be until after that stock has been sold that prices could come down.”
Additionally, President Donald Trump has floated the idea of adding a 25% tariff on imports that include semiconductors as soon as April 2, which would further increase the prices of computers and hardware.
Volatile Prices Affect Signed Price Quotes
The impact of tariffs is creating another challenge: distributors aren’t guaranteeing signed price quotes until the product has shipped. Pricing is so volatile that between the time a quote is signed and when the hardware actually ships (sometimes within just 48 hours), prices can change — often increasing.
Our suppliers cannot guarantee pricing until orders are placed with manufacturers. If pricing changes after the quote is signed, we will notify you promptly and seek approval before proceeding with the order.
While this isn’t unheard of, it’s highly unusual and makes budgeting for IT purchases more difficult. Even after committing to a purchase, organizations may face unexpected cost increases, creating uncertainty for both buyers and sellers.
For those planning hardware upgrades, delaying could mean paying more. Acting sooner rather than later can help mitigate the risk of sudden price hikes.
Will Costs Come Down if Tariffs are Dropped?
Not likely, and if they do, it will be gradual, according to a representative at SilverStone, a Taiwanese vendor that makes hardware for PCs.
“As to your question on reversing prices, that’ll happen more slowly than it is to raise prices,” the representative said. “As a business, we have to be careful with reducing prices across our product line.”
Even if tariffs are lifted, any stock that arrives in the United States during the tariff still comes with a higher cost to the manufacturer. It wouldn’t be until after that stock has been sold that prices could come down.
But, if there are chances of future tariffs, companies will be hesitant to lower prices since they would have to raise them again.
West Michigan Managed Service Provider
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