PC case maker Hyte is halting some product shipments to the US, citing unsustainable import costs related to steep tariffs on Chinese imports, Product Director Rob Teller confirmed in a Friday “Ask Me Anything” session on Reddit.
“We are still bringing in all products that…have open preorders from customers,” he said in an answer to PCMag. “Everything else has been paused or being diverted to other regions,” save for limited collaborations.
Hyte, a sister brand of iBuyPower, first disclosed the shipment suspension in a interview with Gamers Nexus, where the PC case maker explained how Trump’s tariffs are disrupting its business.
“We try to reroute them to different countries, different regions,” one Hyte director says. “Currently, we are focusing on the EMEA region because we’re not bringing any product into the United States because of these tariffs.”
Instead, the vendor is relying on existing inventory. But once that runs out, Hyte will have nothing to sell in the US unless it can develop a new sourcing strategy or if Trump dumps the tariffs. “If you tried to buy a product from me today, I could not afford to sell it to you,” Teller says in the video.
Trump exempted computers, phones, and PC cases from the full 145% tariff on Chinese imports (at least for now). But no reprieve was given to other PC components, including fans, liquid coolers, and power supplies. In addition, PC cases were already facing a 20% tariff on Chinese imports, along with another 25% tariff on aluminum-derivative products.
Get Our Best Stories!
Your Daily Dose of Our Top Tech News
By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up!
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
In Hyte’s case, the vendor gave Gamers Nexus a rare view into the costs of one of its own PC cases, the Y40. A spreadsheet shows the product had a thin profit margin at 5% or about $5 per unit sold—before the tariffs. Thus, any tariff increase could cause the company to sell it at loss unless it raises prices, which Hyte was forced to do last month.
In the Reddit AMA, Teller said Hyte will continue to collaborate with other brands in the US, citing the strong demand. But he warns that “price will almost certainly need to increase.”
Recommended by Our Editors
“As for our normal library, we will definitely be reducing our SKU count and quantities being brought to the US. This may mean a reduction in which models, colors, or configurations may be available. It may also mean more difficulty finding our products in retail stores,” Teller says.
Other vendors, including Chinese retro handheld maker Anbernic, have also ceased shipments to the US, citing the tariffs. Although Hyte is doing so to save on costs in the short-term, the move still risks undermining its business over time.
“Up until now, America was our number one region for Hyte,” Teller tells Gamers Nexus. “We did about 65% of our revenue in America.”
About Michael Kan
Senior Reporter
