US gamers are facing renewed financial pressure from Trump-era import tariffs, with Razer's Blade 16 gaming laptop becoming the latest casualty.
These tariffs function as import taxes on specific products. Though companies sometimes absorb these costs, consumers typically bear the brunt through higher prices - particularly troubling for tech enthusiasts seeing potential price hikes across gaming hardware.
Certain products are even disappearing from shelves temporarily. The Verge reports that after being available as recently as April 1st, the Blade 16 has been completely removed from Razer's US ordering system.
While European gamers can purchase the new laptop (when available - currently out of stock in the UK), Razer's US site only offers a "Notify Me" option without displaying any pricing. Attempting to access the purchase page leads to a 404 error.
Multiple tech companies are adjusting their sales strategies amid market instability. Tariffs affecting Chinese and Taiwanese manufacturing hubs - critical for PC components - prompted warnings from suppliers like Micron about impending price increases. Framework has temporarily halted some US sales completely.
The ripple effects became apparent last week when Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders disappeared from US retailers following tariff-related market turmoil. Days later, Nintendo Canada confirmed delays to their pre-order schedule.
Industry analysts now worry Nintendo might further increase the Switch 2's price above initial projections, compounding existing consumer concerns about the console's affordability.
For complete coverage, explore all announcements from the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct presentation.
