Looking at enthusiast/DIY sales seems to tell a different story. Especially in over-seas markets where the consumer isn't so 'brand name fixated'. But actually, the desperation isn't over performance or sales, it's over brand identity. The longer AMD can keep it up the harder it will be for Intel to claw back share as AMD is increasingly viewed as not just a value brand but a performance leader worthy of sitting right alongside the best Intel has. In short: if they don't get back solidly on top they'll never be able to demand the insane margins they have previously.
They're making money, sure. But mostly the OEM/System Integrators. I do have to imagine 10th gen will see an uptick though since as you say they've improved bang-for-buck a bunch. And with 'moar cores' too!
Exactly, I live in Argentina and Intel has been always way more expsinve than any AMD "similar" cpu. Its insane and stupid, specially considering most 6 cores intel parts are already showing thier limits in many new games. And don't get me talking about platform and cooler cost, even if you could get a "K" cpu in here, then you would have to spend a lot of many for an OC motherboard and a very good and expensive cooler if you want to try overlocking.
AMD is hands down (for now) the best of all around cpu. At least where I live and in huge part of the world.
The thing with Ryzen has already overflown the frontiers of desktop enthusiast/DIY.
Me and the big majority of my techie friends and colleagues from work have our mind set, for the time been and till something new is on the horizon from intel, if we were offered with a Notebook, or if we have to advice for buying lots of them for the employees, between the new intel cpu (14nm+++++) mobile orthe new Ryzen 4xxx mobile, the choice is easy, Ryzen all the way, its cheaper, reliable, runs cooler, battery last longer and the performance is comparable if not better than most intel available parts.
And we are not even talking about Threadripper as the new workstation beast.