Don't think that's related. More a case of computer hardware being a victim of its own success. It's now not unusual for hardware development to outpace software requirements.

Anybody with a decent mutlicore PC is set for the next few years, For Joe User, how much faster does he need a computer to be?

It's only the die-hard PC enthusiasts that will keep chasing the hardware upgrade cycle and they're probably realising that they are such a small minority after all. Who woulda thunk it?

That's always been the case. It's the minority that drives technology. Hardcore users like you are what allows people like me to pick up something like the i7 for half the price in a year's time. I admit I'm a tech geek, too, just a poor one

Same with your Ferrari analogy. What they pioneer trickles down to dinky family saloons but imagine if you will that thanks to Ferrari engine development, even your average Honda Civic is now pumping out more than 200bhp. It's still nothing compared to a F430, sure, but it's more than enough for uncle and aunty.

So no need to upgrade already so even if the high-end products boast 1,000bhp (like the Veyron) the majority just think it's unnecessary and silly. Hence, the stagnation.