>When Intel starts disabling cores that are fully functional, then the practice shifts over into the bad column of artificial product segmentation.
Why?
If their yield improves, should lower core count chips become scarce and then approach the cost per core of higher end chips? That's not exactly in the interest of a consumer anyway.
Also, they absolutely already do that today - all chip manufacturers make viable cores inaccessible so they can have the right part mix that is selling the way they want.
If your demand curve perfectly matches your supply/yield curve, great - but that's rare over time.
I think you've lost sight of what supply and demand curves are supposed to represent. They're not supposed to line up or overlap; they're supposed to intersect at a point representing the equilibrium price. And when the supply curve shifts, that equilibrium point also shifts. That's how healthy competitive markets work.
As yields improve, consumers should expect to see changes other than dwindling stocks of low core count parts. High core count parts should be getting cheaper, or low core count parts start showing up with higher speed bins or lower voltage bins.
Why?
If their yield improves, should lower core count chips become scarce and then approach the cost per core of higher end chips? That's not exactly in the interest of a consumer anyway.
Also, they absolutely already do that today - all chip manufacturers make viable cores inaccessible so they can have the right part mix that is selling the way they want.
If your demand curve perfectly matches your supply/yield curve, great - but that's rare over time.