Whether you're looking for a restocked PS5, restocked Xbox Series X, or restocked Nvidia RTX 3080, you're probably having a pretty miserable time. Gaming consoles are in and out of retail stores large and small in minutes; Nvidia and AMD GPUs seem to be even more scarce, with enthusiasts camping out in front of stores and paying exorbitant prices for third-party gear.

On the other hand, newly released electronics are expected to be in short supply. Enthusiastic early adopters routinely buy up all the inventory of hot new gadgets. Over time, however, demand levels out and supply increases. And you can walk into any store and pick up a smartphone, a gaming console, or a computer component.

But the search for gadgets in 2021 feels different now. Now, more than six months later, finding a PS5 or an Xbox Series X requires hours of refreshing the page throughout the day and praying that duffers don't steal the console from your shopping cart; GPUs like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 and AMD RX 6800 are dubious crypto currency miners have made them even more scarce. After all, there is no time to play the fun game when you can get rich on Dogecoin.

Unfortunately, as 2021 continues, it seems unlikely that gaming consoles and GPUs will be widely available anytime soon, mainly due to the global semiconductor shortage. For now, high-end gaming systems are essentially rare luxury items, not everyday consumer goods. And the sooner we come to regard them as such, the happier we will all be.

The reasons why no one can find a PS5, Xbox Series X, or GPU are almost disappointingly mundane. It's because manufacturers can't supply enough parts to produce them.

It all boils down to a type of computer component known as a semiconductor. To simplify things considerably, semiconductors help bridge the gap between metal conductors and non-reactive insulators. Thanks to semiconductors, our electronic devices do not short out due to too much current or stop functioning due to lack of current. In products that rely on sensitive computer equipment, such as cars, washing machines, cameras, as well as game consoles and GPUs, semiconductors are as essential as the microchips themselves.

The world is currently suffering from a severe semiconductor shortage, and it would be correct to assume that the COVID-19 pandemic is the main cause. Many factories shut down or did not operate at full capacity last year. What made matters worse was that consumers did not buy much when the pandemic began, causing manufacturers to cut back on their semiconductor orders. Not only did demand exceed supply, but the supply itself is now smaller than it should realistically be.

There are other reasons for the shortage. Then-President Donald Trump's restrictions on China's semiconductor trade, fires at Japanese manufacturing plants, and declining global shipments have created bottlenecks. In other words, the semiconductor shortage is a perfect storm of public health, international relations, logistics, and bad luck.

The biggest problem for consumers is not being able to buy what they need, be it a new Xbox or a new car. And because semiconductor manufacturing and distribution is a complex, global endeavor, fixing the supply chain is not as simple as "make more PS5s."

If you're glued to Twitter, peeking at your local Best Buy every morning in hopes of the next PS5 restock or the RTX 3080 restock, you're well aware that the odds are stacked against you. The demand for new gaming gear is huge, but the supply is extremely limited. As more people actually find the hardware they are looking for, demand should decrease slightly. However, with each new restocking selling out within minutes, it does not appear that the situation is improving quickly enough to change for most prospective buyers.

At the risk of becoming Tom's Guide's resident doomsayer, I don't see the PS5, Xbox Series X, and high-end GPU situation improving significantly in the coming months. Readers have two options for dealing with this bad news. Make our friend Matt Swider's Twitter profile (who tracks console restocking day and night) your homepage, set up a pre-account at every major retailer, keep multiple machines glued to the Best Buy homepage all day long, and something will click until, repelling thousands of others in the exact same position every day. And honestly, if you treat the search for a new gaming machine like a second job, you can probably secure one. It's not hard, it's just extremely tedious.

The other option, of course, is to accept that now is not the time to buy a new gaming console. While I admit that our perception of what feels "normal" has gone awry in the last year, it is not normal to treat consumer hardware like orchestra seats at a one-night concert. We shouldn't have to fight off hordes of duffers or turn our computer desks into "Dr. Strangelove"-style battlefields just to play the next "Ratchet & Clank."

That said, back in November, when the restocking seemed imminent, I was willing to tell people to simply work through the backlog. Now, desperation is a good thing. But there is no surefire way to get new hardware right now. Trying to join this fray will lead to much frustration and disappointment. Even if you do finally find a new console, I can't promise that it will be worth the hassle. Especially since there are few next-generation console exclusives or PC games that take full advantage of the new GPU technology.

The semiconductor shortage is an unpleasant fact, but a fact nonetheless. Hardware manufacturers simply cannot afford more consoles or GPUs. Also, while tech sites thrive on innovation, hacks, workarounds, and tricks, there's really nothing here.

Whatever you choose to do to get around the lack of consoles and GPUs, whether it be leveraging your backlog, buying new games on PS4 and Xbox One, or immersing yourself in other hobbies in the meantime, getting through it may be your best option.

And if all of that fails, there's always the Nintendo Switch. For now.