Trump’s Tariffs: 7 Electronics That May Get More Expensive If Trump Wins the Election
Written by
John Csiszar
Edited by
Amber Barkley
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The 2024 presidential election has been one of the most contentious in history, but the potential real-world consequences have been overlooked by many in the rhetoric flying back and forth — and those consequences could affect your budget.
While both of the candidates have laid out plans that may or may not come to fruition, Trump’s claims that he will impose tariffs if he regains the presidency carry more weight than most. This is because he has a proven track record of placing tariffs on imported goods during his actual presidency. So when the 45th president promises to impose tariffs of 10% to 20% on all imported goods — along with a special 60% rate on Chinese goods — it pays to listen.
With these types of tariffs in place, prices for commonly used products, including electronics, could rise dramatically. Here are seven electronics that may get more expensive if Trump wins the election.
Gaming Laptops
Gaming laptops are poised to rise dramatically in price if Trump enacts his new tariff on Chinese goods. As reported by IBIS World, “China is the global center of computer production.”
This means that laptops could potentially see a dramatic jump in price if Trump is reelected. According to data from the Consumer Technology Association compiled by Tom’s Hardware, laptop prices could rise by a whopping 45%. This would be particularly damaging to gamers, who require high-tech, pricey laptops to make their graphics flow seamlessly.
Even an entry-level gaming laptop that costs $1,000 today could jump in price to $1,450.
Gaming Consoles
Just as gaming laptops would suffer the brunt of any Trump tariff hikes, so too would gaming consoles, and to nearly the same degree. Gaming consoles are nearly exclusively made in China — like the XBox One, for example, made in Shanghai — so prices will likely rise dramatically in this category, as well — to the tune of about 40%, according to The Byte.
Monitors
Monitors are yet another computer accessory that is primarily made in China, making it susceptible to Chinese tariffs. Prices there are expected to rise by about 31.2% if Trump wins reelection, Tom’s Hardware reported, translating to an average retail cost increase of $109.
Smartphones
Although so-called “flagship” smartphones are now commonly priced at $1,000 or above, they’d be even more expensive if they weren’t produced in China. But even that may change if Trump enacts new tariffs.
Estimates are that smartphone prices may rise by 25.8%, the Tom’s Hardware analysis found, pushing a $1,000 phone up to $1,258. Since smartphones are a near-necessity in modern American life, the resultant price increases could cost an incredible $25.6 billion loss in consumer spending power.
Lithium-Ion Batteries
According to a May report from the White House, “China controls over 80% of certain segments of the EV battery supply chain,” meaning an increase in tariffs on Chinese goods will almost certainly affect lithium-ion batteries.
The Consumer Technology Association estimates a 12.1% increase in the price of lithium-ion batteries of all sorts, not just the ones used for EV manufacturing, resulting in a $1.5 billion loss of consumer purchasing power.
Computer Accessories and Peripherals
In an environment in which laptops, gaming consoles and monitors are all affected by Chinese tariffs, you should expect the prices of computer accessories and peripherals to also rise. While the anticipated cost increase is not nearly as bad as with those other computer products, a bump of nearly 11% is likely. Since it’s such a large market, that could result in a loss of $5.2 billion in lost consumer spending power.
Televisions
Televisions have gotten so affordable that even a significant price increase may not cause a dramatic ripple in Americans’ pockets. In fact, many Americans have even shunned having televisions in favor of using smartphones, gaming consoles or other personal devices.
Nevertheless, if Trump enacts tariffs during a second term, TV prices will still cost the average household an additional $48, an increase of 9%. That would translate to a loss of $1.5 billion of consumer spending power, according to the Consumer Technology Association.
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