If you're going to build a new PC, do it now before Trump's GPU tax arrives

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 review Source: Harish Jonnalagadda / Windows Central

If you have plans to build your own PC for the New Year (don't miss our guide on how to build your own PC in 2022 the correct style if you lot're looking for tips), you should plan to do so very soon. This is because of the Trump administration'south "List iii" tariffs that are intended to tax diverse Chinese products now include graphics cards and motherboards. Previously, these components were exempt from the tariffs, but these exemptions were non extended and thus expired at the first of 2022, co-ordinate to a report from The Verge. As a result of this, GPUs and motherboards made in Communist china are soon to exist taxed 25 percent.

What does this mean if you're an average consumer looking to selection up a shiny new GPU or motherboard? Unfortunately, there's a skillful chance that PC part manufacturers will raise the price of components in order to help offset the touch of the revenue enhancement. ASUS in particular has already stated to Videocardz that it is increasing the cost of its GPUs and motherboards, although thankfully it worked to "minimize price increases." Hither is the total statement from ASUS Technical Product Marketing Manager Juan Jose Guerrero Three:

We accept an announcement in regards to MSRP price changes that are effective in early 2022 for our award-winning series of graphic cards and motherboards. Our new MSRP reflects increases in toll for components. operating costs, and logistical activities plus a continuation of import tariffs. We worked closely with our supply and logistic partners to minimize price increases. ASUS greatly appreciates your continued business organization and support as we navigate through this time of unprecedented market change.

Motherboard Source: Rich Edmonds / Windows Central

The recent surge of Bitcoin may only worsen the situation if you lot're looking to get a new GPU. Recently, Coindesk reported that the price of Bitcoin doubled in less than a month from Dec to January, even briefly topping $40,000 for the showtime time ever. At the time of writing, the toll of Bitcoin sits at about $32,500, simply if the general upward tendency continues it could event in a significantly increased demand for GPUs to be used for crypto mining. Previously in 2022, skyrocketing Bitcoin prices resulted in a massive GPU shortage that lasted for months. This could happen again in 2022, resulting in the availability of GPUs going down and the cost going upwardly on pinnacle of the hiked costs that will likely be brought about by the Trump revenue enhancement.

Another thing that makes things worse for the future of PC edifice is that it's well-nigh-incommunicable to find nearly GPUs in stock already. Stock for both NVIDIA'due south 30-series cards similar the RTX 3070 and RTX 3080 every bit well as AMD's 6000-serial GPUs such as the Radeon RX 6800 has been ravaged past scalpers and genuine buyers alike, resulting in almost nothing on the shelf and skyrocketed resale prices on eBay. You'll probably have more than luck if y'all're aiming for an older card, but regardless, getting your hands on any GPU is difficult correct at present.

Ultimately, all of this means that you should take any adept deal on a GPU you can observe and build your new PC correct now, earlier Trump's revenue enhancement goes into outcome and earlier ascent Bitcoin prices potentially result in a major extension of the GPU shortage that buyers are already having to deal with.

GPU Source: Windows Central

While things exercise look pretty bleak for PC building at the moment, there's a hazard that things will improve over the course of 2022. Firstly, every bit reported by TechRadar, the shortage of new GPUs from NVIDIA and AMD may finally begin to end come up February 2022. It will likely take a few months later that for the supply chain to get running smoothly again, especially during a pandemic, just it's withal a lite at the finish of the tunnel to look frontwards to.

It's as well worth pointing out that Bitcoin's recent upward trend may not keep, which would (hopefully) help the market avert extreme need for GPUs that manufacturers tin't supply. This wouldn't be great news if you're a crypto miner, but information technology's certainly something that gaming PC builders would love to hear.

Finally, Trump'southward tariffs may be altered or reversed by the Biden administration following the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden on Jan twenty. In that location's no concrete indication that the assistants will do this so far, but Neil Torpey, chairman of Paul Hastings LLP'due south Hong Kong role, has stated that "The incoming Biden administration is expected to bring a return to relative normalcy" in regards to business relations. We can only promise that this "return to normalcy" includes cutting the taxes on GPUs and motherboards.

Your thoughts

What do you call up? Are y'all going to attempt and build your PC before Trump's taxes go into effect, or are you lot going to wait and encounter how the market changes over the course of the next several months? Allow me know. Personally, this whole situation is making me glad I built my new gaming rig over the holidays.

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