Technologies

Tariffs Are Raising Prices. Here’s How You Can Still Save On Tech

Higher prices don’t mean fewer options. Here’s how you can save on high-end electronics, despite the tariffs.

Over the past month, the global electronics market has experienced significant upheaval, and it’s probably only going to get worse. The Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs — up to 145% on Chinese imports — have disrupted supply chains and driven up prices on a wide array of consumer electronics.

Even with exemptions for smartphones and laptops, the threat of additional levies has led to price hikes across the board, from power banks and e-readers to toasters, microwaves and gaming consoles.

While the new Switch 2 won’t be affected by the tariffs (for now), several of the new Nintendo console’s accessories, like the Pro and Joy-Con controllers, have already increased in price because of the tariffs. Anker has raised prices for many of its power banks. The tariffs will likely also increase the price of iPhones.

Read more: Buy or Wait Guide: How Tariffs Will Change Tech Prices and What to Do Now

Amid this economic turbulence, consumers are increasingly turning to refurbished tech as a cost-effective alternative to buying brand new. This sector is not only growing rapidly, it’s also becoming a mainstream choice for savvy shoppers looking to save. The global refurbished electronics market is expected to grow from $47 billion in 2023 to over $123 billion by 2033, according to one report.

If you’re in the market for a new phone, new laptop or any other tech product, you’re better off buying used than new right now. For folks looking to navigate this burgeoning market, there are several reputable platforms that offer high-quality refurbished electronics.

Where you can shop for refurbished tech

Not everyone wants to buy used products, especially when there are risks. A used electronic item might look fine from the outside, but there’s always the chance of hidden hardware issues, like a degraded battery or water damage. Plus, there are rarely ever warranties or return policies on used items. Not to mention, the products could be stolen.

So that’s why you want to buy refurbished, not just used. The difference is that a refurbished item is usually sold by a manufacturer, retailer or certified refurbisher and is inspected, tested, repaired and restored to full working condition. This isn’t like buying a used computer from someone on Facebook Marketplace. Instead, you get a cleaned and repackaged product with a warranty, just like a new product. If you want the assurances of a refurbished item, there are many options.

Apple Certified Refurbished
Apple’s in-house refurbishment program is widely considered the gold standard. Every device — whether it’s a MacBook, an iPhone, an iPad or even an Apple Vision Pro — comes with a new battery and outer shell, so cosmetically it’s indistinguishable from new. All products are rigorously tested, cleaned and repackaged in an official Apple box, along with cables and other accessories. You’ll also get a one-year limited warranty and the option to add AppleCare Plus, making this one of the safest ways to buy refurbished Apple gear.

Amazon Renewed Store
Amazon’s refurbished technology storefront offers a pretty sizable catalog with everything from smartphones and laptops to home appliances, headphones and even electric toothbrushes. All these devices are inspected and tested by qualified suppliers to meet certain performance benchmarks. Most products come with a minimum 90-day Amazon Renewed Guarantee, which allows you to return or replace the product if it doesn’t work as promised.

Best Buy Outlet
Best Buy’s certified refurbished store includes TVs, tablets, laptops, smartphones, kitchen gadgets, gaming gear and more. Many items are Geek Squad Certified, meaning they’ve been restored and tested by its in-house technicians. And if you’re more about an in-person experience, Best Buy offers local pickup for many of these refurbished items, along with standard warranties that vary by product.

eBay Refurbished
eBay may seem like the Wild West at times, but the company partners with certified refurbishers and brands like Samsung, Lenovo and Dell to offer items with up to 50% off retail pricing. You can also check out product grading, which varies from good to excellent, and you’ll receive a one- or two-year warranty, as well as 30-day returns.

Swappa
Swappa is a peer-to-peer marketplace, but with guardrails. Sellers can only list fully functional devices, and every item is manually reviewed before it goes live on the website. All you need to do is find your product and then check out the price, condition and age, and you can buy directly from the seller. All transactions are protected via PayPal, which can help you in case a purchase never shows up or you’re unhappy with a product and need a refund.

As tariffs continue to influence the tech industry, the refurbished market stands out as a great alternative for you to get the tech products you want at an affordable price and without compromising on quality. If you use any of these trusted platforms, you can mitigate the financial impact of tariffs and rising electronics prices, and also participate in more-sustainable consumption practices.

You can try secondhand but there are risks

A refurbished tech product might still be expensive. Enter the raw, unfiltered secondhand market: Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, Craigslist and Nextdoor, to name just a few. These platforms are less about guarantees and more about opportunity. You can be smart and patient and scoop up a MacBook from a college student upgrading midsemester, or grab a highly discounted PS5 from someone cleaning house before a cross-country move. But there are trade-offs. No warranty. No refurbishment. No assurance it wasn’t dropped in a pool or «borrowed» indefinitely. You can still get some unbeatable prices with the right negotiation tactics.

These platforms are seeing increased tech activity, with anecdotal spikes in metro-area listings for iPads, AirPods and OLED TVs since tariff announcements started to dominate headlines. Some sellers are flipping open-box returns or reselling their own gear to upgrade in anticipation of price surges, which effectively creates a grassroots resale economy shaped by the current trade policy. Before you venture into the secondhand market, there are a few tips you should follow.

Meet in a public place and always test the item before handing over payment. You may want to handle the transaction quickly, but it’s best to ensure the item is in good condition. And doing it in public protects you (a bit) from getting ripped off.
Check battery health on phones and laptops. You can do this in the settings of the devices.
Verify serial numbers when possible to check warranty or theft status. There are websites that quickly allow you to use the IMEI of a phone to check whether it’s stolen. (IMEI stands for international mobile equipment identity, a 15-digit unique ID number.)
Use payment apps like Venmo or PayPal Goods & Services for added protection. Cash is great, because you can typically get a better discount, but you have to ensure that the product you’re buying is in good condition.

We don’t have the full picture of how tariffs will affect all the tech products in our lives, but as new devices become less affordable amid general economic uncertainty, buying used can be a smart choice. It doesn’t matter if it’s a refurbished iPad from Amazon or a gently used Nintendo Switch from OfferUp, sometimes pricing matters so much more than packaging. With the trade war showing no signs of cooling, the secondhand and refurbished tech ecosystem isn’t just a reaction. It’s a quiet rebellion we can all have a hand in.

Technologies

OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Atlas, Challenging Google Chrome With an AI-First Browser

The browser is available now for MacOS users, with versions for Windows, iOS and Android coming later.

OpenAI has released a generative AI-powered web browser called ChatGPT Atlas, a major step in the company’s expansion beyond its ChatGPT chatbot platform. The browser, announced Tuesday, integrates ChatGPT’s capabilities directly into the browsing experience, aiming to make web use more interactive and chatbot-like.

OpenAI sparked speculation earlier Tuesday after posting a teaser on its X account showing a series of browser tabs. During the YouTube livestream, CEO Sam Altman and others announced the browser and live-demoed a few of the new features now available for MacOS users worldwide. Support for Windows, iOS and Android operating systems is «coming soon,» the company said.

(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)

The new product launch comes amid growing competition among tech companies to embed AI assistants more deeply into everyday tools. For instance, Google has already integrated Gemini into its Chrome browser to add AI to the online browsing experience. Earlier this year, the AI search tool developer Perplexity launched Comet, an AI-powered Chromium-based web browser. Here’s everything OpenAI announced today.

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What is ChatGPT Atlas?

ChatGPT Atlas looks and functions like a traditional web browser. It includes tabs, bookmarks, extensions and incognito mode, but adds popular ChatGPT functions and features throughout. Opening a new tab lets you either enter a URL or ask ChatGPT a question. The browser includes separate tabs for different types of results, such as search links, images, videos and news.

A built-in ChatGPT sidebar can analyze whatever page you’re viewing to provide summaries, explanations or quick answers without leaving the site. ChatGPT can also offer in-line writing assistance, suggesting edits and completions inside any text field, such as an email draft.

One of the biggest new features is browser memory, which keeps track of pages and topics you’ve previously explored. Atlas can suggest related pages, help you return to past research or automate repetitive tasks. Memory is optional and can be viewed, edited or deleted at any time in settings.

Atlas also supports natural language commands, meaning you could type something like «reopen the shoes I looked at yesterday» or «clean up my tabs» and the browser should respond accordingly.

Read more: OpenAI Plans to Allow Erotica and Change Mental Health Restrictions for Adult Users

Agent mode in Atlas preview

OpenAI also previewed agent mode, which lets ChatGPT take limited actions on behalf of the user — such as booking travel, ordering groceries or gathering research. The company says the mode is faster than standard ChatGPT and comes with new safeguards to keep users in control.

Agent mode is available to Plus and Pro subscribers, and is available in beta for Business users.

«In the same way that GPT-5 and Codex are these great tools for vibe coding, we believe we can start in the long run to have an amazing tool for vibe lifing,» Will Ellsworth, the research lead for agent mode in Atlas, said during the livestream. «So delegating all kinds of tasks both in your personal and professional life to the agent in Atlas.»

How to get started with ChatGPT Atlas

To get started, you’ll first download Atlas at chatgpt.com/atlas. When you open Atlas for the first time, you’ll need to sign in to your ChatGPT account.

From there, you can import your bookmarks, saved passwords and browsing history from your current browser.

Technologies

Amazon Will Pay $2.5 Billion for Misleading Customers Into Amazon Prime Subscriptions

Amazon settles its FTC lawsuit, and agrees to pay billions for «tricking» customers into Prime subscriptions.

In September, Amazon settled its case with the Federal Trade Commission over whether it had misled customers who signed up for Amazon Prime. The $2.5 billion settlement is one of the largest consumer protection settlements in US history, and while Amazon did not admit to wrongdoing, it’s still changing things.

The FTC said $1.5 billion will go into a fund to repay eligible subscribers, with the remaining $1 billion collected as a civil penalty. The settlement requires Amazon to add a «clear and conspicuous» option to decline Prime during checkout and to simplify the cancellation process.

«Amazon and our executives have always followed the law, and this settlement allows us to move forward and focus on innovating for customers,» Mark Blafkin, Amazon senior manager, said in a statement. «We work incredibly hard to make it clear and simple for customers to both sign up or cancel their Prime membership, and to offer substantial value for our many millions of loyal Prime members around the world.»

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Why was the FTC suing Amazon?

The FTC filed suit against Amazon in 2023, accusing it of using «dark patterns» to nudge people into Prime subscriptions and then making it too hard to cancel. The FTC maintained Amazon was in violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act and the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act.

«Specifically, Amazon used manipulative, coercive or deceptive user-interface designs known as ‘dark patterns’ to trick consumers into enrolling in automatically renewing Prime subscriptions,» the FTC complaint states.

Who is eligible for Amazon’s big payout?

Amazon’s legal settlement is limited to customers who enrolled in Amazon Prime between June 23, 2019, and June 23, 2025. It’s also restricted to customers who subscribed to Prime using a «challenged enrollment flow» or who enrolled in Prime through any method but were unsuccessful in canceling their memberships.

The FTC called out specific enrollment pages, including Prime Video enrollment, the Universal Prime Decision page, the Shipping Option Select page and the Single Page Checkout. To qualify for a payout, claimants must also not have used more than 10 Amazon Prime benefits in any 12-month period.

Customers who signed up via those challenged processes and did not use more than three Prime benefits within one year will be paid automatically by Amazon within 90 days. Other eligible Amazon customers will need to file a claim, and Amazon is required to send notices to those people within 30 days of making its automatic payments.

Customers who did not use a challenged sign-up process but instead were unable to cancel their memberships will also need to file claims for payment.

How much will the Amazon payments be?

Payouts to eligible Amazon claimants will be limited to a maximum of $51. That amount could be reduced depending on the number of Amazon Prime benefits you used while subscribed to the service. Those benefits include free two-day shipping, watching shows or movies on Prime Video or Whole Foods grocery discounts.

Technologies

This Rumored Feature Could Make NotebookLM Essential for Work as Well as School

NotebookLM takes another step toward being the do-it-all AI tool for work and school.

Since it launched, NotebookLM has been aimed at students. While just about anyone can use the AI tool to some benefit, it’s a great study buddy thanks to an assortment of features for the classroom. But a promising new feature may help with your next work presentation: Slides.

Powered by Gemini, NotebookLM can help you brainstorm ideas and generate audio or video overviews. That sounds like most AI tools, but NotebookLM is different. You can provide it with your own material — documents, websites, YouTube videos and more — and it’ll only use those sources to answer your questions and generate content. Adding a slide generator to such a tool would be a solid, professional power-up.

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Google already has its own slide deck creation tool, but NotebookLM could make it even easier to create them. Using your uploaded sources and the recently integrated Nano Banana image generator, the ability to create a slide deck on the fly could soon be on its way.

The tech and AI tool-focused site Testing Catalog recently spotted an unreleased and incomplete Slide tool. Not all of the features seem to be available, but it’d be easy to assume you’ll be able to create a slide deck based on your uploaded documents with just a few clicks. It’ll also likely allow you to further customize the deck by giving NotebookLM specific instructions and topics within your sources to focus on.

That’s not all, though. Another, similar feature might also be on the way. Also spotted was an option to generate an infographic — allowing you to create a visual chart or image based on your data sources. We’ll have to wait and see when either of these features goes live, but NotebookLM remains a robust tool that has little competition, and I expect it’ll only get better.