Low-cost mini PCs and single-board computers like the Raspberry Pi have long appealed to Linux enthusiasts because they’re… Well, low-cost. But a new US tariff change taking effect next month could send prices up sharply — not just for American buyers, either.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday ending the ‘de minimis’ tariff exemption that lets goods valued at $800 or less enter the US duty-free – a figure that, naturally, loops in cheap tech as much as tat from Temu.
The order comes into effect on August 29, and expands on an earlier order that targeted only Chinese and Hong Kong imports.
“[President] Trump is acting more quickly to suspend the de minimis exemption than the [One Big Beautiful Bill Act] requires, to deal with national emergencies and save American lives and businesses now,” the White House says in a fact sheet.
What This (May) Mean for Hardware Prices
Packages valued at $800 or less that previously entered the US tariff-free now face extra costs on top, ranging from $80 to $200, depending on their country of origin. Countries with tariff rates below 16% will see an $80 duty per item, while those above 25% face $200 per package.
For something like the Radxa X4, an Intel N100 SBC priced from $60, the cost could more than double for US buyers
When you think about the impact for US buyers, the change will affect the price of all kinds of Linux-friendly hardware bought from overseas: SBCs, Intel or AMD-based mini-PCs, and ARM-powered retro gaming handhelds, plus all the peripherals, components, cables, cases.
Unless, of course, buying stock that’s already in the US – these changes do only affect packages which are under $800 and sent to the US. Ergo, most AliExpress, Temu, Shein, or a Latvian prog-jazz band’s merch shop.
The scale is massive—US customs data shows 90% of all cargo entering the US last year (some 1.36 billion shipments) used the de minimis exemption, with around 60% of those packages coming from China.
This isn’t just an American buyer’s problem
When companies face higher costs selling to America (one of the world’s largest consumer markets, and sizeable source of income) they tend to bump up prices in other countries to make up the difference. It’s what happened with the Nintendo Switch 2 earlier this year.
The White House says opioid smugglers were using the de minimis exemption to send illicit drugs into the US as they were less likely to be checked by customs officials.
The changes will not affect personal items Americans bring back to the US from overseas travel (at least, not on items up to $200 – don’t expect an “is that a Banana Pi in your pocket or are you just pleased to be back in the US?” jape from customs officials, mind).
Cheap, novel computing devices have been part and parcel of the Linux scene for a long time. If these changes stick (US tariffs and trade deals do seem to change on a whim) the question is whether manufacturers absorb the costs or if they’re passed on.
And if so, budget-conscious buyers may need to adjust their expectations on how low low-cost tech actually costs going forward – which could affect Linux bring up on new devices.