Are you sure you're not writing about AMD FX processors? Where did you see this information? Intel discounted the prices before they were even released?

From what I've read, the Ivy Bridge is only outclassed by the Sandy Bridge-E class processors (and then, only in well threaded applications where the six-core Sandy Bridge-E would be expected to out class a new quad-core.)

The Sandy Bridge Extreme processors are the high performance class of the processors, where as the current release of Ivy Bridge consists solely of their Mid tier offerings. The new Ivy Bridges do, however, outperform the Mid tier Sandy Bridges.

I know people who have had the quad-core I7 for years. This article is nostalgia for those guys. I don't get it. If you want a good computer for little money, take a look at the 2nd generation dual-core I5. I've had one for a while and it cost me little. It's 32/64 and works great with Windows 7. Who cares what you're using, anyway? Do you use a computer, or do you just show it off? Some offices are still running fine with MS-DOS. The 486DX was a dream P.O.S. machine for a small business.

@baudrunner

for years the general consumer has been subsidizing the cost of R&D for better scientific processors. Plain and simple. 98% of consumer applications have no need of the processing power from 7 years ago. the only people who are 'normal' and might NEED a high end processor are die hard gamers and graphics(video or static) editors. Out side of that engineers.

All others are in the scientific community, and i decline to include financial systems because when the problems get that hard its still a scientific effort.

Other than that you can continue to complain all you like -- but if you own a smartphone - then you are reaping the benefits of those years of R&D -- ubiquitous computing is here, its just waiting on the batteries to power it.

DOS is still popular in older institutions with a system that works fine. They realized "if it works, why change?" You'll primarily find it in purchase order systems and other places where simple matrices capture all the data you need

the only people who are 'normal' and might NEED a high end processor are die hard gamers and graphics(video or static) editors. Out side of that engineers.

There's also speech recognition, text-to-speech, machine vision, little machine learning tasks embedded here and there in the OS and software, etc, which all improve with the availability of more CPU power. The general concept of "gossip with friends" stays the same, but the CPU doesn't necessarily go to waste even in a consumer system. Granted, it still does in many cases.