American-made laptops are the next frontier that tech entrepreneur Palmer Luckey, who founded Oculus and then the defence startup Anduril Industries, is eyeing. In a recent speech at the Reindustrialise Summit, Luckey proposed manufacturing a PC entirely in the United States and asked a question that could influence his next business endeavour: would buyers be prepared to pay 20% more for a laptop manufactured entirely in the United States?
This would not be another gadget put together in the United States with foreign components. It seems that Luckey wants a laptop that satisfies the stringent “Made in USA” requirements set by the Federal Trade Commission. This entails not just putting the gadget together in the United States but also making sure that “all or virtually all” of its parts are produced here, with very little imported material.
It would be an ambitious endeavour. A list of laptops assembled in the United States was published by PCMag in 2021, although many of the components were still imported. There would be logistical and financial difficulties for a laptop that actually meets the FTC’s definition. Advanced chips, screens, batteries, and other components are still expensive and difficult to produce in large quantities in the United States. Because of this, many people doubt that Luckey could maintain a 20% price increase, particularly if the device is meant to compete with powerful computers like Apple’s MacBooks.
Nevertheless, it fits with Luckey’s larger idea of American technological independence. He co-founded Anduril, a company that manufactures AI-powered military hardware, after Oculus and Facebook. More recently, he revealed Erebor, a bank that focusses on cryptocurrency. His business endeavours frequently have one thing in common: rethinking vital infrastructure from a nationalistic perspective, whether it be in consumer electronics, finance, or defence.
If Luckey moves forward, it might indicate a change in the way American consumers view manufacturing and technology. However, the main query still stands: will Americans really pay more for a laptop that is genuinely made in the United States in an era of shrinking profit margins and global supply chains?
