Well, I meant ppl still running Core 2 systems. If they want to keep it cheap a lesser CGN card would be enough to keep rocking. Low profile, I know, but way better than before. Now you can pair an overclocked Q6600 with a GTX 560 level of performance card and Mantle could extend that way higher.
As for Sandy Bridge and upper, well, those won't need to replace their computer until it fall to pieces.
Only in games that support Mantle, others it will be a very underwhelming system and only when it comes to CPU performance. I still don't see anything that indicates a real tangible increase in graphics performance outside of reduced draw calls.
This is now the second big reveal, and still no slide addresses increased GPU performance when not talking about draw call reduction.
It is unlikely Mantle will take over the world, however it seems much more likely that what Mantle does will find it's way into DX12 allowing all three vendors to benefit.
The obvious benefit for AMD is their moar core strategy, however they're still behind as it seems the i7/8350 are at least in these slides pulling 50k draw calls, whereas the socket 2011 x6 is pulling 80k.
At first I thought AMD was simply trying to kill their x86 future, but the more I think about it the more it is likely that draw calls will continue to be pushed to the point where people will desire cpu upgrades in the future. It also gives x86 a more parallel path than what we were currently set on which was specially devoted to per core not more cores.
IMO Mantle discussion should be moved to the CPU forum, since at least so far after two big reveals from AMD and their partners the entire focus has been on draw calls and cpu related overhead, and barely anything "Film Quality Motion Bur" related to GPU performance advantages.