TL;DR
- The upcoming TRIMUI Brick Hammer Pro U is getting a price hike to a minimum retail price of $249.99.
- Customers who pre-ordered the device are getting emails asking them to pay the difference, opt for the plastic Brick Pro, or cancel their order for a full refund.
- The Brick Hammer Pro U is expected to start shipping from July 30.
If you’ve been following developments around the TRIMUI Brick’s successors: TRIMUI Brick Pro and Brick Hammer Pro U, you may have assumed that the price revealed yesterday was set in stone. However, there’s some bad news. Product pages for the TRIMUI Brick Hammer Pro U have gone live on several retailers’ websites, and they all tell a sorry tale of price hikes (h/t RetroHandhelds).
The upcoming Android-powered handheld is being sold at several different retail prices. It’s $287.49 on GoGameGeek, $294.99 on MechDIY, and $293.99 on LITNXT. The TRIMUI.net website still has it listed for $199, but it’s already marked “sold out.” The TRIMUI Store, on the other hand, has it listed for $293.99.
GoGameGeek is reportedly also sending out emails to people who had pre-ordered the Brick Hammer Pro U, expecting to score it at the promotional pricing of $135.99 or $159.99. The emails present customers with three options: pay the price difference to receive the metal handheld with a set of accessories, change their order to the plastic version, or receive a full refund with no fees or deductions.
According to an email received by a customer, TRIMUI is attributing the price hike to rising raw material costs. The company has reportedly mandated all retailers to sell the handheld at a minimum retail price of $249.99. The email from GoGameGeek stated that the retailer has secured an exclusive deal with TRIMUI to sell the device for $212.49. The Brick Hammer Pro U is expected to start shipping on July 30.
With such a massive price hike, several users are already calling the handheld dead on arrival, and it’s easy to see why. The recently launched Retroid Pocket Nova starts at $229, and it offers a much better processor, more RAM, and an AMOLED display. The AYANEO Pocket Micro 2 will also be announced in a couple of hours and could offer strong competition to the Brick Hammer Pro U.
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