The year 2021 begins with bad news for computer builders. Asus graphics cards and motherboards sold in the US are seeing price increases due to the return of tariffs on certain imports from China.
The issue became clear on Monday when an Asus marketing representative said the price increases would appear in early 2021. operating costs and logistics activities plus a continuation of import tariffs, ”reads the Facebook post.
As a result, the RTX 3090 ROG Strix OC Edition graphics card now sells for $ 1,979 – up from $ 1,799. The Asus KO Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 OC Edition has meanwhile risen to $ 639, an increase of $ 549.
The current prices for GPUs on Asus’ website. (Credit: Asus)
The tariffs come from the outgoing Trump administration, which imposed a 25% tax on electronic components imported from China in May 2019. Affected products include graphics cards, motherboards, in addition to computer cabinets and power supplies that deliver more than 500 watts.
The White House later allowed temporary repetitions of the tariffs, citing requests from U.S. stakeholders, but the release only lasted until December 31st. So do not be surprised if you see more price increases in the coming weeks.
That said, many computer manufacturers have shifted their production from China to neighboring areas, including Taiwan and Southeast Asia. We have contacted the computer manufacturers for comments on the rates, and we will update the story when we hear it.
Meanwhile, the other problem computer builders face is the lack of supplies. The latest graphics cards from Nvidia and AMD are still out of stock at all major retailers, which may continue for the next few months.