The "Made in USA" label carries serious cachet these days. With growing consumer demand for ethically sourced, eco-friendly and customized products, more tech companies are realizing the value of building things close to home.
US manufacturing became a hot topic during the COVID-19 pandemic as supply chain issues led to shortages and companies looked to shorten their production lines. American assembly offers advantages like rapid prototyping, lower shipping costs and responding faster to customer needs.
While the majority of laptops and PCs are produced overseas, predominately in Chinese factories, there are still some great desktop and laptop brands designing, engineering and building computers right here in the US.
The State of US Tech Manufacturing
The US is still an R&D, engineering and manufacturing powerhouse when it comes to cutting-edge technology. American semiconductor firms like Intel, Micron and Qualcomm account for 47% of global chip sales. The US also manufactures $200 billion worth of aerospace products and $1.6 trillion in chemical products annually.
However, increased automation and offshoring of simpler commodity products like consumer laptops and desktops to overseas factories have eroded the country‘s electronics manufacturing base over the past few decades. Asia now dominates global IT hardware exports:
- 90% of laptops sold in the US are manufactured abroad
- Top exporter is China ($150B+ in computer equipment exports), followed by Mexico ($25B) and Taiwan ($10B)
- The last major US computer manufacturers, Gateway and Hewlett-Packard‘s PC division, shifted production to Asia in the early 2000s
- From 2000 to 2014, the US lost 627,000 electronics manufacturing jobs
Yet in recent years, there are signs US factories are becoming more competitive again versus their Chinese and Taiwanese counterparts:
- Booming demand for customized devices
- Rising overseas wages and freight costs
- Automating repetitive assembly tasks
- Generous state tax incentives for manufacturers
As a result, some computer brands are expanding domestic operations to accommodate shorter product runs, rapid prototyping and device customization.
Let‘s examine the laptop and desktop manufacturers still designing, engineering and building PCs in American factories…
Top USA-Based PC Companies: Where They Manufacture
| Brand | Location | Manufacturing Details |
|---|---|---|
| Velocity Micro | Richmond, VA | Assembles high-performance, customizable gaming PCs and workstations |
| ORIGIN PC | Miami, FL | Hand-builds boutique gaming and professional PCs; acquired by Corsair in 2019 |
| Eluktronics | Delaware & Pennsylvania | Manufactures gaming laptops and mobile workstations; some component fabrication done in-house |
| Digital Storm | Morgan Hill, CA | Crafts bespoke gaming PCs by hand; no automated assembly lines |
| Falcon Northwest | Medford, OR | Designs and assembles high-end custom PCs for gaming and professional use |
| Lenovo | Whitsett, NC | Some ThinkPad and ThinkStation models assembled at American factory |
| Dell | Austin, TX | Builds the XPS 13 and other select systems at US facilities |
| Apple | Austin, TX | Manufactures the premium Mac Pro desktop stateside; other Macs assembled abroad |
| HP | Various facilities | Some US-based final assembly of laptops and data center hardware |
While their products aren‘t 100% American-made, all components and labor sourced domestically, these brands score highly for US economic impact. By designing, engineering and assembling PCs on American soil, they support local jobs and keep more profits at home versus rivals that simply import finished goods.
Next let‘s profile a few standout companies bringing tech manufacturing back to America…
Velocity Micro – Custom Gaming PCs
Founded in 1997, Velocity Micro is proudly based in Richmond, Virginia and stands as America‘s largest direct-to-consumer custom PC manufacturer.
The company specializes in delivering personalized, finely tuned gaming desktops, mobile workstations and business PCs built via meticulous hand assembly. Their US-based production employs a skilled team of system builders, quality assurance techs and customer support reps.
Velocity Micro procures components both domestically and abroad. They uses American semiconductor chips from manufacturers like Intel and EVGA. Chassis and cooling items also come from US vendors like Cooler Master, Corsair and NZXT. However some parts like power supplies and SSDs still hail from Asia.
Configuring and buying a system online is seamless. Velocity Micro gaming machines, like the award-winning Raptor Z55, blend bleeding edge power with personalized aesthetic touches via customized paint jobs and LED lighting. Their PCs easily handle VR gaming and intensive video editing workflows.
Business and workstation models offer similar tailoring aimed at non-gaming apps. All devices are hand-built only after they‘re ordered and pass through multi-step inspection and software optimization processes. The company stands behind every system with lifetime tech support and device warranty service.
ORIGIN PC – Handcrafted Gaming Rigs
Founded in 2009, Florida-based ORIGIN PC has cultivated an avid following among PC enthusiasts who crave finely-tuned high performance systems.
From their 60,000 sq ft headquarters, ORIGIN‘s skilled team handles everything from initial design prototyping to component selection to hand assembly and custom paint jobs. Their boutique manufacturing process resembles an artist‘s workshop more than a typical electronics factory.
Every ORIGIN NEURON, MILLENNIUM or GENESIS desktop is meticulously hand-built from the ground up based on each customer‘s personal preference. Gaming PCs ship out rocking the latest CPUs and GPUs from AMD or Intel, blazing fast M.2 solid state drives, name brand memory and components, customizable RGB case lighting and expert cable management.
ORIGIN PC was acquired by gaming hardware giant Corsair in 2019, yet maintains its own independent brand identity and focus on US manufacturing. Aligning with a larger company has expanded ORIGIN‘s production capacity and strengthened supplier relationships needed to keep their PCs cutting edge.
In an era of mass-produced goods, ORIGIN proves that a thriving market still exists for artisanal technology combining extreme speeds with standout craftsmanship. Their systems even come overclocked out of the box and backed by lifetime 24/7 technical support.
Eluktronics – Gaming Laptop Innovators
Most gaming rig innovation happens on the desktop side. Yet this Pennsylvania company is pushing high power portable PCs to the limits.
Founded in 1999, Eluktronics designs potent mobile workstations coveted by hardcore gamers. The key is expert integration of top computing components within innovative magnesium-alloy notebook chassis that keep temperatures down.
Units like the MECH-17 G3 crams Nvidia‘s fastest laptop GPUs and 8 core Intel CPUs into super slim bodies ready for VR gaming. Eluktronics packs workstations like the Prometheus XVII with 64GB of RAM to muscle through CAD and video production jobs.
Via their Delaware-based manufacturing facility, Eluktronics assembles and tests every unit locally. But they also fabricate certain proprietary parts in-house too – custom keyboards, efficient thermal solutions and durable chassis materials. This vertical integration strategy maintains quality control while advancing product performance.
Eluktronics systems come well configured out of the box yet remain flexible. Gamers can select premium components like mechanical keyboards and ultra-fast displays. Mobile workstation models target creative pros with validated drivers and ISV certifications. All units ship with lifetime technical support.
By pushing innovation across both software and hardware, this rising brand keeps gaining kudos from press outlets like PC Magazine, Windows Central and Hot Hardware. The future looks bright for American gaming laptop production.
Lenovo‘s US Assembly Operations
Most consumers equate Lenovo with efficient Asian manufacturing. After all, the vast majority of ThinkPad notebooks and enterprise data center gear flows out of Chinese factories bearing the red Lenovo logo.
However in 2013, Lenovo brought some laptop assembly work stateside after purchasing IBM‘s PC division along with their longstanding production facility in Whitsett, North Carolina. Located just outside Greensboro, the massive 750,000 square foot plant now accommodates manufacturing, product testing, and returns management.
How many Lenovo PCs are made in USA? Specific US-assembled models include the flagship ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen series. Some higher spec ThinkPad T series, P series workstations and ThinkCentre Tiny desktops also now contain "Assembled in USA" markings.
Lenovo says onshoring certain manufacturing work keeps them responsive to corporate clients with security concerns. Government and military agencies often stipulate use of American-assembled hardware. Beyond assembly, Lenovo‘s US production facility also handles custom imaging, asset tagging, device auditability and managing device fleets.
The company continues investing in the Whitsett plant‘s testing labs and factory automation to drive efficiency. Lenovo executives call it their "showcase manufacturing facility" as they weigh further US expansion.
While Chinese factories handle Lenovo‘s higher volume models, retaining domestic facilities helps them better react to shifting US demand and new technological innovations.
Apple‘s Expanding Stateside Production
As the world‘s most valuable technology firm, Apple certainly could afford to manufacture its expensive Mac Pro desktop completely offshore in Asia like iPhones. Yet concerns over intellectual property theft and impacting American innovation coerced Apple to rethink their US manufacturing strategy.
Back in 2013 Apple had outsourced all Mac Pro assembly to China. But as sales volumes declined Apple realized the labor-intensive Mac Pro wasn‘t well-suited for high-volume mass production lines abroad focused on iPhones.
In 2019 they announced plans to relocate Mac Pro assembly back home to Austin, Texas just miles from their Apple headquarters. Apple invested $200 million into modernizing their existing Austin manufacturing plant with advanced robotics and supply chain infrastructure.
The shiny new Mac Pro remains Apple‘s only device manufactured stateside. Yet Apple strategists say the move underscores their large commitment to US economic growth and belief that advanced manufacturing has a viable American future.
Apple also assembled select prior-gen Mac Pros in Austin using components from Illinois, Florida, Arizona, Texas and various Asian suppliers. However many parts still ship internationally, like circuit boards from China and flash storage drives from Japan.
Reactions among Apple observers say the symbolic shift back towards American tech manufacturing is a strategic move that pays dividends across innovation, public relations and politics rather than immediately cutting costs. If Mac Pro production scales successfully, more US-based Apple device contracts could follow.
The Outlook for "Made in America" Computer Manufacturing
The rosy economic conditions and stable inflation rates of the 1990s-2000s that accelerated offshoring have vanished. With rising overseas wages, freight costs and growing consumer demand for customized goods, automation now makes stateside manufacturing cost-effective again even at lower scales.
Has the US lost its edge in tech innovation and production? interviewed experts argue no – American strength across research, engineering and entrepreneurship means the country remains well-positioned to capitalize as computational power increasingly defines every industry‘s competitive edge.
Yet rebuilding a vibrant hardware manufacturing base across low-tech to advanced products remains challenging. Fortunately, several trends are spurring domestic technology production back to healthier levels:
- Increased consumer desire for bespoke and localized goods catered to personal tastes, which smaller US firms can provide
- Special state tax incentives to attract manufacturers as local economic growth drivers
- Automating repetitive tasks like component insertion via AI and advanced robotics makes domestic factories far more efficient to run than a decade ago
- Higher overseas shipping costs and overseasfactory lead times makes regional output more appealing
- Growing demand for cloud infrastructure like servers and networking gear spurs US data center expansion
Midwest states like Illinois, Indiana and Ohio in particular are attracting manufacturing investment based on lower costs and deep infrastructure.
Yet thriving tech hubs like Silicon Valley, Seattle and Austin will always remain integral to next-gen hardware innovation too. Nearby manufacturing and assembly capacity helps accelerate research concepts into commercial products via flexible prototyping.
Striking the right balance across low-volume domestic facilities and higher-volume overseas facilities gives brands the best circuit board assembly and device manufacturing strategy.
Final Thoughts on Supporting American Computer Companies
The "Made in America" label holds symbolic power for a range of reasons – from civic pride to assurances around product quality and security. For electronics like laptops, desktops and mobile devices, buying American-made also supports local job creation.
Yet patriotic buying motives aren‘t the only factor for consumers considering homegrown computer brands. Custom configurability, rapid order fulfillment, personal service and accessible warranty/tech support also rate highly during purchasing decisions.
Based on their base of design, engineering and manufacturing on US soil, Velocity Micro, ORIGIN PC, Eluktronics and others highlighted here make great options for buyers wanting responsive PC partners. While these smaller boutique manufacturers lack the scale efficiencies of global giants like HP and Lenovo, their US-based production and components offer unique advantages from sustainability to supply chain security.
Moving forward, increased urbanization and technologies like 3D printing, advanced robotics, autonomous vehicles and cloud-based management systems will reshape all manufacturing – including computing devices. The COVID crisis proved that geography and politics can dangerously impact complex global supply chains. So we should expect more tech production and final assembly to migrate back stateside over the next decade.
Yet even as more manufacturing automation arrives, skilled human oversight around critical design, engineering and assembly processes remains irreplaceable – especially for advanced electronics. Nurturing this base of American high-tech knowledge workers ensures future innovation leadership.
So if you‘re shopping around for a new PC or laptop this season, consider showing some love for the brands still designing, engineering and building these devices locally. American computers may cost a bit more than foreign imports, but the job creation and economic impacts generate tremendous residual value.
