The core race is akin to the 0-60mph race. It's largely irrelevant for anyone. 

My i7-5930K does everything I need it to do and does it quickly. There is nothing on the market right now that makes me want spend my money. More cores isn't going to do it for me. There have been some features in the chipsets I want, but not enough to make me spend my money for them....yet.

"Marty, you're just not thinking fourth-dimensionally" -- Doc Brown, BTTF3.

Software developers have sales targets in mind, so they aim at the largest group to net the most sales, and many times those end-users won't have a powerful system.  Quad-cores have been around so long that developers haven't tuned for anything else, that's what most people have and it's all they get.  While Intel and AMD have brought 6-core models since 2010, the price isn't really come down until Ryzen came; so it will be a while before developers make use of more cores because average people will eventually have access to them.

My point is that these new multi-core processors may not have widespread use now, it isn't like they won't ever; it is just a matter of whether you happen to have use now using a combination of software versus a willingness to keep the system long enough to actually buy mainstream software designed to run on more cores.  You just got to think fourth dimensionally, so to speak.  

Unlike our quad-core renaissance, I don't think it will be over a decade until games and other software use more cores, that is partly due to AMD keeping pressure up: Ryzen 7 won't just remain at 8c-16t until Zen is succeeded after Zen 5.  With every shrink, I see them upping the count.  This will push more cores into cheaper markets and giving developers reason to follow and support more cores; and of course, Intel has to respond and flood the market with more cores per unit currency as well.  

We know AMD is making a 12c-24t die ad 16c-32t die at 7nm.  I think AMD will want to avoid the overlap between Ryzen 7-1800X and Threadripper 1900X, so the 3700X flagship for AM4 will be a 12c-24t, while the entry-level Threadripper 3800X is a 16c-32t.  That's a lot of cores at the $300-$500 range, but most folks get processors south of $300, so give it time and more software will be tailored to many cores.

cisco0623
So after a year the x299 platform is already being replaced by x399 motherboards? Intel is a mess right now.

Intel will do whatever it needs to do to make money. AMD's current policy is much better and cheaper for the consumer. AMD will keep the same socket for at least 2 more years. That means you can buy next year's Ryzen and your motherboard only needs a BIOs update to support it. No new motherboard to buy unless you want more features.

that really depends, if your game thives on a quad core, you need a quad, then if you do twitch you need another 2 cores, that's six, lets say your streaming music, there is another core, running a download with the browser another core ect ect ect. ITs not about what can a single program use, but how many programs can you use at once without slowing everything down.

rjohnson11

cisco0623
So after a year the x299 platform is already being replaced by x399 motherboards? Intel is a mess right now.

Intel will do whatever it needs to do to make money. AMD's current policy is much better and cheaper for the consumer. AMD will keep the same socket for at least 2 more years. That means you can buy next year's Ryzen and your motherboard only needs a BIOs update to support it. No new motherboard to buy unless you want more features.

Yeah bro - it’s sad.

While it’s nice to finally see competition kick Intel in the balls as it deserves it’s also silly since almost no software utilizes all these cores and no current mainstream cooling is viable to sustain it in a realistic environment. I mean 28 cores overclocked- using what? Lol

To see Intel releasing new sockets and boards so rapidly goes to show how cocky and complacent they became. They are a hot mess right now. Also, they no longer solder the heat spreaders?!! Lol

And honestly you hardly need more than 6 cores for even a power user imo. I’m not talking people who render video for a living either. They are the .1% of cpu power users. I mean everyone else (gamers, streamers etc).

So while I’m not against it and it’s overdue, it is absolutely a silly market right now and my approach for the first time in forever was to go with a cheaper upgrade because nothing else made any sense to me (I’m primarily a gamer). Wth am I going to do with 8,10,16,18, 22 cores? Lol

I’d hold until a new “equilibrium” is established. Meaning what cpu and cores take advantage of all the good software/games etc. That’s a two way street - what software and games require this kind of power etc. Imo with current software and game requirements there is no need for anything that has come out recently.