Import tariffs proposed by the incoming Trump administration could cause PC prices in the US to jump 46 percent, stifling market growth in 2025 despit

Trump's tariff threats could bump PC prices by almost half

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2025-01-02 14:30:02

Import tariffs proposed by the incoming Trump administration could cause PC prices in the US to jump 46 percent, stifling market growth in 2025 despite the looming Windows upgrade deadline and vendors eagerness to promote AI-based computers.

This prediction comes from market watcher Canalys, which expects total PC shipments stateside to edge up 2 percent in both 2025 and 2026, after an estimated rise of 6 percent during 2024 to just under 70 million units.

In a report issued over the Christmas period, the number cruncher said laptops had been the main driver of recent growth, with shipments of these up 9 percent year-on-year during Q3 2024.

Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, it expects to see the market continue to expand, albeit at a slower rate than previously anticipated due to weaker momentum in the Windows refresh cycle and "headwinds related to macroeconomic policies."

Those headwinds include the tariffs discussed by President-elect Trump, although nobody can be entirely sure if he will actually go ahead and implement them until after his inauguration. Other factors such as potential federal spending cuts could also throw hinder PC sales, said Canalys.