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Impact of Tariffs on Tech Products: Razer Affected
Razer laptops have emerged as the latest victims in the ongoing trade conflict stemming from President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Following Nintendo’s recent decision to suspend pre-orders for the Switch 2, The Verge reported that Razer has also halted direct sales of popular devices, including the Blade 16 gaming laptop, within the United States.
The product page for the Blade 16, which previously featured a pre-order link, has now only a “Notify me” option available. Moreover, the configurator page, where customers could select specifications such as graphics cards and processors, now leads to a 404 error. However, customers can still pre-order the laptop from European and other international markets.
Razer’s US store page is now primarily showcasing non-laptop items such as accessories and peripherals.
While Razer has not officially attributed the pause in sales to the tariffs, the connection is apparent. These tariffs, set to take effect at 12:01 AM ET, pose significant challenges for companies that manufacture or source components from nations like China and Taiwan. These tariffs, essentially taxes on imported goods, often lead to increased prices for consumers. Economists have projected that the average American could face an additional $3,800 in costs annually as a result of these policies—an estimate made before Trump proposed further tariffs on China, amounting to an unprecedented total of 104 percent.
Razer’s decision follows that of other major companies, such as Nintendo and Framework, which have also ceased certain sales in the U.S. In a related development, Reuters reported that Micron, a key memory chip supplier, plans to implement a surcharge on selected products due to tariff impacts. As the official enforcement of these tariffs approaches, the repercussions for consumers and industries are likely to escalate, marking one of the most significant tax increases in the U.S. since 1968.
Source
www.engadget.com