The ONLY thing that matters is: can I have a STABLE overclock @4Ghz with an AIO? How does it compare to 4Ghz TR? And then, not everyone wants to overclock their CPU to have normal performance, TR has 700Mhz more stock. In a few months 1950x will sit around 800eu (now i can find it aroun 920eu VAT included), so if Intel does not decrease their i9 prices only a fool would buy one.

I'm sure you could get to 4GHz on an AIO no problem, but as you kind of pointed out yourself, what's the point? If that's your limit, the CPU is objectively not worth getting. IMO, getting to 4.3GHz ought to be the lowest acceptable speed in order for the CPU to have a performance edge over the 1950X and without being a total ripoff.

People have to realize that Intel doesn't have to change it's pricing yet. The vast majority of server companies/houses that are buying these products are going to continue buying Intel on inertia alone. There are going to be clients that want to see TR/Epyc/Zen Platform go through a year or so of validation before they even consider swapping.

I agree. As much as I'm happy about AMD's work and success, Intel is still going to dominate the CPU market for the reasons you mentioned. That's just the reality, and despite what people think, AMD will never release a product that will truly make Intel tremble in fear or worse.

https://media.giphy.com/media/dC9DTdqPmRnlS/giphy.gif

There is no way Intel is close to selling their processors below production costs and last I heard Intel never paid that fine, they have it locked in perpetual court hearings. People have to realize that Intel doesn't have to change it's pricing yet. The vast majority of server companies/houses that are buying these products are going to continue buying Intel on inertia alone.

This only partially correct. Lots of people are going to continue Intel because they recognize the brand and they don´t recognize AMD. Not to mention that there are lots of people that think that AMD are a cheap low cost version of Intel... In Portugal, for example, many associate AMD with crappy products... Besides this point, Intel is going to continue to sell a lot in the future because they have good CPUs and because of their prices. I know most gurus are going to read this and think "WTF is that guy smoking???" But that´s because we only talk about consumer prices and in that aspect Intel is more expensive than AMD, sometimes by an huge margin. But when Intel sells in bulk to companies like HP, Lenovo and others their prices are much lower than the ones we pay and sometimes they are even cheaper than AMD! A basic example, my 7600K cost me around 210€ without VAT. For a company like HP that buys thousands of Intel CPUs the same 7600K is going to cost between 100€ to 150€... Of course some will point out that AMD does the same and it´s true but the problem is that AMD doesn´t have the financial muscle of Intel meaning that they can´t lower their prices as much as them... So don´t discount Intel that easily because things are more complicated that they seem...

This only partially correct. Lots of people are going to continue Intel because they recognize the brand and they don´t recognize AMD. Not to mention that there are lots of people that think that AMD are a cheap low cost version of Intel... In Portugal, for example, many associate AMD with crappy products... Besides this point, Intel is going to continue to sell a lot in the future because they have good CPUs and because of their prices. I know most gurus are going to read this and think "WTF is that guy smoking???" But that´s because we only talk about consumer prices and in that aspect Intel is more expensive than AMD, sometimes by an huge margin. But when Intel sells in bulk to companies like HP, Lenovo and others their prices are much lower than the ones we pay and sometimes they are even cheaper than AMD! A basic example, my 7600K cost me around 210€ without VAT. For a company like HP that buys thousands of Intel CPUs the same 7600K is going to cost between 100€ to 150€... Of course some will point out that AMD does the same and it´s true but the problem is that AMD doesn´t have the financial muscle of Intel meaning that they can´t lower their prices as much as them... So don´t discount Intel that easily because things are more complicated that they seem...

I understand what you're saying but that doesn't discount what Denial was saying. Inertia is is more than just the mass of one object, it also depends on the speed of the object, and other factors play in as well such as friction. What I'm getting at is Intel's "inertia" exists because of the reasons you described. Except for people who intentionally buy Intel for informed and un-biased reasons (which there are plenty who do - take Denial or yourself for example), most of Intel's sales are because people pick what is most popular and based on first impressions. This is why crappy politicians get (or stay) elected, why pop music is so bland, and why cars like the Toyota Camry sell so well. The point being - Intel doesn't have to try to succeed. If they released "the faildozer of 2018", it would still return a hefty profit. Also on a side note, Portugal is no exception - a lot of people think AMD products are crappy, regardless of what country you're in.

Can't afford this, moving on...

On a 500w ready, non-exploding motherboard lol

I don't understand. So, they won't give processors to reviewers (or most)? But they will to extreme overclockers? Is this to try and make people think unrealistically that the processors will be huge overclockers, when in reality, you don't use LN2 to cool a PC? I don't get it.

Same idiocy as when publishers invite youtubers who only care about their viewing numbers and not really about testing into closed alpha/betas of games nowadays instead of actual testers.

i left x99 for ryzen because of the antics of intel. and i was an intel fanboy...i have friends who work there so i was predisposed and i believed the hype. i will no longer buy intel cpu's until they replace TIM with solder. they know better and they've been flamed for four generations (that i know) of cpus with the same defect. last year they had the nerve to tell HEDT buyers they shouldn't overclock their unlocked processors! just to not admit they made a mistake. Ford had the Edsel, took the faceplant then came out with the Fairlane and Galaxie(sic) 500 and made more money. Coca cola had "new" Coke, took the faceplant then went back to regular Coke and nade more money. Intel it can be done. be brave, be honest, and let your engineers hold their heads high.