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US Tariffs on GPUs Delayed: A Year's Reprieve for PC Builders
2 Dec
Summary
- US delays 25% tariff on Chinese-assembled GPUs until November 2026.
- Industry groups lobbied the administration to pause the tariffs.
- AI demand is driving up RAM costs, potentially impacting GPU prices.
US PC builders have secured at least another year without facing a 25% tariff on graphics cards manufactured in China. The Trump administration has delayed the "Section 301" tariffs on GPUs, motherboards, and PC cases until November 10, 2026. This pause, confirmed quietly by the Office of the US Trade Representative, provides a significant break for the tech industry, which had been bracing for the duties' implementation over the recent weekend.
Industry trade organizations actively urged the administration to delay these tariffs. Citing continued concentration of critical components in China and the impracticality of rapid supply chain shifts, groups like the Consumer Technology Association highlighted potential cost hikes and supply inconsistencies if the tariffs were enacted. Many companies, facing uncertainty and higher costs with other tariffed nations, were reportedly considering returning to China for sourcing.
Adding to market concerns, the intense demand from AI data centers has significantly driven up RAM prices, particularly DDR5, by over 200% in recent months. This scarcity in memory production could soon affect video memory for GPUs, potentially leading to price increases for graphics cards. The delayed tariffs mean PC builders will not face additional import costs on GPUs for the foreseeable future.
