If you've had your eye on the PS5 for several months but keep finding yourself coming up short after each stock drop, you might be better off waiting till the end of the year.

There are a range of reasons Sony's latest console has avoided your grasp. Unfortunately, over the coming months, that's not likely to change.

Let's explore why you should pause your search for the PS5 until the end of the year, or maybe even until 2022.

1. The Semiconductor Shortage Isn't Going Away Soon

A focused photo of a green circuit board.

The semiconductor shortage that's been ongoing since the start of the pandemic has proven to be a tremendous problem for a lot of industries, including the gaming industry.

We use semiconductors in basically all electronic devices. With stock shortages hampering availability, they have caused significant production delays for the PS5, leaving Sony unable to meet the enormous demand.

The problem here is that as long as there's a semiconductor shortage, you're going to have a hard time finding an abundance of PS5s present at any store.

Even after all these months, the semiconductor shortage still isn't easing up. Which means neither will the shortage of PS5s.

Related: How Electronic Component Shortages Are Affecting the Gaming Industry

2. The PS5 Gaming Library Hasn't Come Into Its Own Yet

The "PS5" section of the PlayStation Store.

There's no denying that there are some great PS5 games out there, namely Demon's Souls and Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales. However, it still doesn't have an impressive collection of games that justify the effort required for you to buy a PS5.

This could be the case till the next year, with some of the most anticipated current-gen games being pushed back to 2022, such as Hogwarts Legacy, Gotham Knights, Gran Turismo 7, and most likely God of War Ragnarok.

Yes, the PS5 is backwards compatible with the vast majority of PS4 games, and you'll see improvements for these games on Sony's new console. But are you really keeping up with moment-to-moment updates on PS5 stock just to play enhanced PS4 games?

Until it has a strong gaming library that's truly its own, the PS5 just isn't worth the time and effort required for you to purchase it.

3. Is It Worth Losing So Much Time, Effort, and Sleep Over the PS5?

A person sitting down, focused on their laptop.

Even if you've been trying to get a PS5 in the last month alone, you'll realize just how tricky it actually is.

With limited stock drops, sporadic timings, and still huge hype and demand, fueled by a mix of truth and insubstantial rumors, it's closer to divine intervention than it is a regular transaction whether you'll actually get a PS5.

The PS5 is now the fastest-selling console in US history, and it shows, with every stock drop depleted in minutes, sometimes even seconds. This means that even you're keeping up with the latest updates and constantly refreshing the product page come the next PS5 stock drop, it's blind luck whether you'll actually secure one.

This can twist into a cycle of frustration, sleepless nights (in the UK, some stock drops are in the early hours of the morning), and bitterness, all reset by the addictive image of finally securing a PS5.

The PS5 isn't going anywhere for several years, so it's not worth you trying to buy one right now when all the odds are stacking up against you.

4. Scalpers Are Looking to Capitalize on Your Frustration

PS5 listings on eBay.

Each time you feel the rush of elation at adding a PS5 to your basket (if you even get that far) followed by a wave of frustration when there's an error at checkout, it may tempt you to pay a little (or a lot) extra to end your search.

Scalpers are counting on it.

Using various methods, such as inhumanely fast bots, PS5 scalpers buy up as much stock as they can, leaving you with no choice but to pay usually many times above RRP if you actually want to play Sony's new console.

With each cycle of excitement followed by frustration, you might justify buying from a scalper that much more, until you finally decide to give in. Don't do it.

Remind yourself that the PS5 is not a limited edition console and that at some point you'll be able to buy one at RRP within a few minutes, rather than wait in long queues for something that may not materialize.

Related: How to Stop PS5 and Xbox Series X Scalpers From Winning

5. The PS5 Will Improve by Next Year

Throughout its life cycle, the PS5 is going to see many improvements in the form of system updates. Just this month, PS5 users can finally store their PS5 games on an external USB drive.

By 2022, the console will have seen significant improvements, both in its stability and features. More PS4 games might see some incredible backwards compatibility boosts, users might play PS5 games from an external USB, and the PS5's internal expansion slot could be operational, allowing you to double to triple your internal storage.

By waiting till next year, you'd be treating yourself to a much-improved version of the PS5 without any extra charge.

6. Current PS5 Games Could Be Cheaper

The "Demon's Souls" pages on the PlayStation Store.

As the standard price of video games could be creeping up to $70, one way to prevent yourself from racking up a worrying bill would be to wait a few months after a game's release.

By 2022, it's likely there'll be discounts on current games, meaning that you'll pick up an improved version of that game (via patches) all whilst avoiding a $70 price tag.

Keeping yourself slightly behind the hype on releases (unless you're a die-hard fan) will be a lot better for your wallet.

7. Winter Deals and Bundles

Though there are currently PS5 bundles available, they don't provide great value for money, as the PS5 is so limited and in extreme demand.

Black Friday is set to take place just over a year since the PS5's launch. With that, we should see some good deals and bundles for the PS5 that might provide a welcome reward for your patience. Oh, and don't count out Boxing Day and New Year's sales.

8. You Can Purchase the Best PS4 Games at Huge Discounts

The banner for the 2021 Spring Sale on the PlayStation Store.

Instead of spending $400-500 and a lot of time and effort on trying to buy a PS5, now is the best time to play all the games you've missed out on over the years in their best state and lowest price.

For example, if you have a PS4, there are so many great deals at both retailers and PlayStation's own PlayStation Store, with "Game of The Year" editions bringing you the fullest version of that game.

Besides the all-time low prices you'll find for these games, there's also Sony's Play At Home initiative, bringing you a series of free games and entertainment offers each month through to June.

Up to May 14th, you're able to grab one of last-gen's best games, Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition for free, to keep forever once you've downloaded it.

The PS5 Isn't Worth It Right Now, But the PS4 Might Be

A white PS4 with a white PS4 controller on top of it.

It's frustrating that several months after its launch, the PS5 is still an incredibly hard console to acquire.

There's not much you can do right now besides wind up in endless cycles of despair trying to purchase a PS5. However, this will be over at some point and when that time comes, it will be oh so sweet.

In the meantime, consider catching up on the best games last-gen offers, as well as perhaps picking up a PS4 at its lowest price if you've missed out on Sony's celebrated console.