Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers
Although President Trump has implemented a 90-day pause on most of his newly imposed tariffs, that’s a bit of a reprieve for anyone who needs to purchase new electronics. Besides the blanket 10 percent base tax on all imported goods, a 145 percent tariff is now in effect for China, where a majority of electronics are manufactured or assembled. So unless something drastic changes, the prices of nearly everything with a processor or screen will be going up. My colleague Lauren Ro is keeping track of the prices of Strategist readers’ favorite products across categories, including some electronics, and I’ve put together this list of more devices and gadgets, a combination of Strategist best sellers and top picks in a range of categories, to keep tabs on any significant changes in prices.
Apple’s most stylish (and expensive) headphones typically sell for anywhere between $480 and $500 at Amazon and Walmart, though on Apple’s website they’re always $550.
Apple’s newest iPad Pro came out last June, and since then it’s regularly been available for around $920 on Amazon.
Our current pick for the best portable charger overall has already been affected by the tariffs. Since we began recommending it last year, the price has consistently stayed around $80, and never been higher than $100 — it’s now $110.
Onyx, the company that makes my favorite e-reader, announced price changes for U.S. customers last month. Right now, the smartphone-size Palma is selling for $300; that’s $20 higher than before the tariffs were announced.
While no specifics have been announced, Matthew Hassett, founder and CEO of Loftie, told customers in an email to expect a price increase soon for Loftie’s products, including the alarm clock, which usually stays around $160. Hassett has been writing about the tariffs and their impact on Loftie on LinkedIn.
Anbernic makes a ton of handheld consoles that mimic the design of old-school consoles like the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance SP. The RG35XX, which looks like the original Game Boy, has consistently cost around $60 since last summer. The company is based in China, so I’ll be looking out for any changes to the prices of its consoles.
Lenovo makes my favorite handheld console, which regularly costs $700 for the base model; at Best Buy it’s on sale for $600 right now. Lenovo just released another one, the Legion Go S, which I’m currently testing. I’ll be watching the prices of both.
The successor to our pick for the best multipurpose fitness tracker just came out at the beginning of this month, so its $300 price tag is likely the cheapest it will be before the tariffs take effect.
Roku makes the best affordable streaming boxes you can get, so I’ll be watching their prices. The Ultra 4K, which is the company’s best streamer, occasionally drops from $100 to $80.
I’ll also be keeping a close eye on Amazon’s flagship e-reader, which just got a refresh last fall. It usually costs $160, but the price has dipped to $135 a few times.
The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
