Gamers and techies were shocked when President Donald Trump announced massive tariffs on countries that are heavily involved in the electronics trade with the US. The levies can skyrocket to 145%, heavily affecting prices for anything tech-made in countries like China. This category includes smartphones, monitors, graphics cards, and other parts and peripherals we use for our setups.
The tariffs have benefits and consequences, but the immediate fear is that pricing on retailer shelves will skyrocket. Some have already begun to go up in cost, and it’s not limited to electronics and gadgets. Manufacturers may lower costs to meet their margins, but it’s more likely that they, including distributors and retailers, will jack up the price tag to alleviate the issue.
Predictions have run wild, with experts suggesting high-end phones like iPhones may go over $2300. Consumer technologies that include laptops, monitors, and other gear are predicted to go up as high as 45% in price. Some manufacturers have adjusted price points, but others with massive inventory stateside are not as affected.
The pressure the tariffs add may also have long-term beneficial effects for our gear. The goal is to bring production and manufacturing back to the States, as opposed to the current situation where almost every bit comes from other nations’ exports. This will eventually lower prices and provide more jobs, but it will take some time for that to happen.
The good news is that President Trump announced exemptions to the rule. Here is a compiled list of items in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule that are related to the products we love:
- 8471: Automatic data processing machines and units thereof; magnetic or optical readers, machines for transcribing data onto data media in coded form, and machines for processing such data.
- 8473.30: Parts and accessories for the machines covered by 8471.
- 8486: Machines and apparatus of a kind used solely or principally for the manufacture of semiconductor boules or wafers, semiconductor devices, electronic integrated circuits or flat panel displays; the manufacture or repair of masks and reticles; assembling semiconductor devices or electronic integrated circuits; and lifting, handling, loading or unloading of boules, wafers, semiconductor devices, electronic integrated circuits and flat panel displays.
- 85171300: Smartphones
- 85176200: Machines for the reception, conversion and transmission, or regeneration of voice, images, or other data, including switching and routing apparatus.
- 85235100: Solid-state non-volatile storage devices.
- 8524: Flat panel display modules, whether or not incorporating touch-sensitive screens.
- 85285200: Monitors capable of directly connecting to and designed for use with an automatic data processing machine covered by 8471.
- 85411000: Diodes, other than photosensitive or light-emitting diodes (LED).
- 85412100: Transistors, other than photosensitive transistors, with a dissipation rate of less than 1 W.
- 85412900: Other unmounted chips, dice, and wafers with an operating frequency not less than 30MHz.
- 85413000: Thyristors, diacs, and triacs, other than photosensitive devices.
- 85414910: Other diodes, unmounted chips, dice, and wafers.
- 85414970: Transistors
- 85414980: Optical coupled isolators
- 85414995: Other semiconductor devices
- 85415100: Light-emitting diodes (LED)
- 85415900: Other unmounted chips, dice, and wafers
- 85419000: Parts of diodes, transistors, and similar semiconductor devices; photosensitive semiconductor devices, light emitting diodes and mounted piezoelectric crystals.
- 8542: Electronic integrated circuits
Most of these items, specifically article 8524, are used in gaming monitor manufacturing. Imagine the added cost if multiple item types get levies, resulting in a huge chunk you will have to pay. But thankfully, these are exemptions, meaning that overall MSRP shouldn’t be too affected by this initiative.
So, the best monitors to avoid tariffs is actually most, if not all of them because of these exemptions. We’ve seen price bumps in the recent weeks that passed, but these are mostly due to the rising demand and eradication of stocks or supplies that follow the panic buying hysteria. It should normalize in the weeks ahead, but on-hand inventory and the buying trend can still raise price tags.
Our advice is to grab the monitor or other gaming gear you desire or need when you catch it at regular pricing. The exemptions listed above can guarantee that we won’t see the predicted hikes, but as mentioned, the law of supply and demand still applies. Panic buying doesn’t help, so enjoy the experience of shopping for the best deals.
Alternatively, you can also consult our reviews and guides that cover a wide array of gaming monitors that suit different requirements and budgets.