I guess not when you can like I said, sell server rejects for high prices, along with an expensive motherboard.
But if there is no economics for more than 4 cores, why is AMD bringing out their flagship new architecture as an 8 core chip?
Selling overpriced "server rejects" allows Intel to pretend like they care about the high-end market when they really don't.
The compromises if you want a 6 cores instead of 4 are just too great:
-Older CPU architecture, 1 or 2 generations behind - lower IPC (made worse by the fact that more cores = slightly lower clock speed)
-Lower clockspeed: Yes, more cores = lower clock speed. However, server chips (and by extension, server rejects) aren't designed for maximum clock speed either. They prioritize power usage at continuous loads and stability. A CPU specially designed for the high-end desktop market would perform better in that role.
-Unnecessarily complicated and expensive motherboards - I'm happy with the number of PCI-E lanes etc., I just want 2 extra cores!
-Outdated chipset - Why is the "flagship" platform lagging behind in new developments, internal/external connection standards etc.?
Do you have a source or statistics that HDET is a staggering failure? By definition, i7 3930K->i7 5960X are targeted at enthusiasts. Even if all of these CPUs represent just 3-5% of Intel's market share, doesn't mean they are a failure. That's like claiming that GTX280->GTX980Ti are all failures since <5% of the entire dGPU market buys them.
Very few people buy a Porsche 918, McLaren P1, and LaFerrari. Are those failures too since 99.9% of people who don't own those cars?
The 2 primary reasons Intel still hasn't bright 6-core to the mainstream are lack of competition and people keep paying $350/350 EUR for a glorified HT i5. It's very simple. As soon as there is competition in any viable form, Intel will bring a 6-core Icelake/Tigerlake to the mainstream. It's only a matter of when not if of a mainstream 6-core Intel CPU. With $389 i7 5820K and i7 6800/6820K, the price premium over Z170/270 and i7 6700/7700K is minimal. More and more people will move to HDET. Just because the average Joe noob who buys Lenovos, HPs, Dells, and Apples of the world will keep buying weak CPUs like Core-Ms, i3 and i5s, there is a growing number of PC enthusiasts who want and will buy 6-10 cores. With Zen, next gen PS5/XB2 likely going AMD again, the future is more cores. It's inevitable since IPC and clock speed gains are slowing down. It means the only other way to get more performance is spread the load across kofe threads. With DX12, it will be easier than ever once it matures and developers learn to load 6-8 cores well.
Basically: The mainstream isn't buying 6-core CPUs, because Intel hasn't made them available on the mainstream platform. Intel hasn't made 6-core CPUs available on the mainstream platform, because the mainstream isn't buying 6-core CPUs.
AMD has offered 6 and 8 core CPUs on mainstream platforms for ages (since the Phenom II X6), but they're no competition for Intel. With no competition, Intel is quite happy to keep things the way they have been since the Q6600 in 2007.