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Will Intel's New Processor Be a Game-Changer?

Chris-
You hit the nail on the head. Although these chips are absolutely faster, they don't make the end users life noticeably different. There might be some value in making virtualized services run faster (I don't know how true that is), but this only affects a small portion of the market.
In addition, a good percentage of gamers are transitioning from PC's to console's. The game quality is comparable, and a console costs a fraction of a new PC.

The article is correct that Intel will keep its lead in the semiconductor space. I just question whether it's a market investors want to be in at all.

Netbook Sales Cannibalizing PC Revenues

Not to mention that high end PC/laptop buyers used to be mainly hardcore gamers or business power users. These days a gamer can replace a $5,000 computer with a 1 year shelf life with a $400 game system and a 3-4 year shelf life. A business user needing the ultralight laptop can go straight to a netbook with very little loss in functionality for ~25% of the price.

It's gonna be a great year for consumers, and a horrible year for the PC makers.