The 46% and 68% figures in this headline are scenario estimates from a January 2025 analysis. They are not measured price increases or sales declines. The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) commissioned Trade Partnership Worldwide LLC (TPW) to model how proposed U.S. tariffs could affect consumer technology prices. The results describe what could happen under specific tariff assumptions in early 2025. They do not tell you what a laptop or tablet costs today, or what duty applies to a particular model.
Where the two headline numbers come from
The headline combines two separate estimates that were published together in coverage of the same CTA analysis. CTA’s report, How the Proposed Trump Tariffs Increase Prices for Consumer Technology Products, is dated January 2025 and is listed on CTA’s report page. Computerworld’s January 8, 2025 article, Trump tariffs could raise laptop, tablet prices by 46%, cut sales by 68%, reported both numbers.
The 46%–68% price range
CTA’s January 2025 analysis projects that laptop and tablet prices could rise by between 46% and 68%, depending on which proposed tariff scenario is applied. The range is a set of conditional outcomes, one per scenario. It is not a forecast that prices will rise by a single amount.
The 68% purchase decline
Computerworld paired the 46% possible price increase with a possible 68% drop in laptop and tablet purchases. The coverage does not state which tariff scenario produces that demand figure, so readers should not treat the two numbers as a single linked outcome from one scenario. Computerworld also reports that suppliers could stockpile inventory ahead of expected price increases. That is analyst reporting about a possible response, not confirmed action by any supplier.
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A second 68%: the high-scenario price figure
CTA’s higher scenario, labeled 20%/120% in its summary, models a tax of about 99% on laptop and tablet imports. In that case the summary projects U.S. laptop and tablet prices rising 68%. The report puts the modeled increase at about $540 on the average laptop retail price, measured against an average baseline of roughly $793, and about $304 on the average tablet retail price, measured against a baseline of roughly $447. The 68% in this scenario is a price projection. It is unrelated to the 68% purchase decline reported by Computerworld, which is why the two figures should not be merged.
The scenarios behind the numbers
The estimates are easier to read side by side. Each row shows the assumptions and the outcome that the source attaches to it.
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| Estimate | Published | Tariff assumptions | Projected laptop and tablet price change | Projected purchase change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CTA October 2024 summary | October 2024 | 10% general tariff; 60% tariff on China | 45% increase | Not stated in the summary |
| CTA January 2025 scenario range (see CTA report page) | January 2025 | Multiple proposed scenarios; each case’s rates are set out in the CTA report | 46% to 68% increase, depending on scenario | Not stated in CTA’s scenario range |
| CTA high scenario, labeled 20%/120% (see the CTA high-scenario summary PDF) | January 2025 | Modeled effective tax of about 99% on laptop and tablet imports | 68% increase; about $540 on an average laptop baseline of roughly $793; about $304 on an average tablet baseline of roughly $447 | Not stated in this summary |
| Computerworld coverage of CTA analysis (January 8, 2025) | January 8, 2025 | Not stated in the article | 46% possible increase | 68% possible decline |
The October 2024 and January 2025 estimates use different assumptions and different dates. Their percentages are not competing measurements of the same market change, and the 45% figure should not be averaged with the January figures.
Why these figures are not a current price quote
The January 2025 estimates are about two years old as of October 2026, and tariff policy has changed since they were published. Two official White House documents show how much the picture has shifted:
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- A February 2026 White House order, Ending Certain Tariff Actions, describes ending certain prior tariff actions taken under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
- A July 23, 2026 White House memorandum describes proposed tariff actions under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, following investigations into 60 economies. Rates vary by economy, and the memorandum specifies exemptions.
Neither document gives the final duty on a specific laptop. Whether a device is subject to a tariff, and at what rate, can depend on several factors:
- The country of origin of the finished product and of its major components
- The tariff classification of the product under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule
- Whether PCs and components are treated differently
- Applicable exemptions and their conditions
- The dates on which each change takes effect
For a specific import question, check the current Harmonized Tariff Schedule and U.S. Customs and Border Protection guidance. For a consumer purchase, the relevant number is the price on a live retailer listing, not a modeled figure.
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How to read any tariff price estimate
When you compare a tariff forecast with another, check the same six details. Percentages without these assumptions cannot be compared.
- Tariff rates and countries covered: the rate for each country or group, not only a headline rate.
- Scenario level: whether the case is a lower or higher scenario.
- Projected retail-price change: the percentage, and the dollar amount if one is given, along with the baseline price it is measured against.
- Projected demand or purchase change: whether a demand figure exists and which scenario it belongs to.
- Publication date: the date of the analysis, since later policy changes can make it obsolete.
- Devices and components included: whether the estimate covers laptops, tablets, PCs, or components.
What to do if you are shopping for a laptop or tablet
- Use the headline percentages as background, not as a price target. A modeled increase does not set the price of a specific model.
- Compare the exact model and configuration across at least two retailers, and note the date and time of each price. Storage, memory, and bundled accessories often differ between listings that look identical.
- If you are buying for a business or importing a device, check the current tariff treatment for that product’s origin and classification before you budget.
- If a purchase is not urgent, decide on a maximum price in advance. That lets you judge a listing against your budget rather than against a headline.
The CTA estimates describe what the analysis projected under stated assumptions in early 2025. They are useful for understanding how tariffs can move consumer technology prices, but they are not a measure of what has happened since, or of what your next purchase will cost.
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