Back in April, the US government launched an investigation focusing on the country’s dependence on foreign semiconductor production and its effects on national security. The findings of this probe are expected to be published within the next two weeks, hinting at the possibility of new tariffs on imported chips.

News of the investigation was reported by Reuters, which is part of a broader report on a recent US-EU trade deal that intends to impose a 15% import tariff on a majority of EU goods.

During discussions about this deal, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick revealed that the results of the investigation regarding chip imports affecting national security will be released soon.

Donald Trump has also mentioned that there could be an increase in tariffs on semiconductors made outside the US, which have so far been largely exempt, although this is unlikely to last.

Should new tariffs be imposed, the cost of most computer components could spike since most chips used in PCs are produced overseas, primarily in Taiwan and China. While companies like AMD, Intel, and Nvidia are based in the US, the majority of their products are fabricated abroad.

Both TSMC and Samsung, the top chip manufacturers, are currently building new facilities in the US, but these will take time to become operational. In the meantime, prices for essential PC components like CPUs and GPUs could rise significantly. This change would have a direct impact on PC gamers and manufacturing across the industry.

Whatever the outcome, US-conducted PC enthusiasts should be prepared for potential price hikes on a range of electronic components.