It is not blurry at all IMO: HEDT traditionally was a transition zone between normal desktops and full-blown enterprise-class server/workstation stuff. AMD killed off most of what was left of its HEDT segment by abandoning its in-between platform, forcing its customers to pick a side across the chasm that opened up.
If you are desperate enough for more cores, IO, RAM, etc. that you can justify paying $1500+ more over a sensible top-end desktop to make the jump into workstation/server space, you are clearly in workstation/server territory. If you aren't but still need a bit more than mainstream platforms can deliver, then you are screwed because the HEDT middleground that used to cover that segment for only a few hundred extra bucks no longer exists.
The Threadripper 1000, 2000 and 3000 series IGNORE the difference between "HEDT" and "Workstation".
Once AMD learned what they could do in the Workstation market, they changed the deal and use the opportunity to add $1,300+ to the quasi same silicon. The mobo makers were happy to follow suite reaching $1,000+ for new mobos:
No Pro
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X 16C/32T ($899.99 MSRP) + ASRock X399 Taichi ($350 MSRP)
AMD Ryzen Threadripper
3960X 24C/48T ($1399.00 MSRP) + ASUS ROG ZENITH II EXTREME ($850 MSRP)
Pro
ASUS Pro WS WRX80E-SAGE SE WIFI ($999 MSRP) + ...
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3955WX 16C/32T ($1600 cheapest on NewEgg)
OR
Imaginary non-existing 3965WX 24C/48T ($2605 average between above and below)
OR AMD Ryzen Threadripper 32C/64T 3975WX ($3610 cheapest on NewEgg)
Yes for Corporate America it makes sense, they are ready to spend more for the "PRO" stuff and last but not least a long term guaranty of availability and support. When AMD writes "...Examining what our most demanding
enthusiasts and content creators..." it means Corporate America, certainly NOT the enthusiasts, individual data scientists, individual creators, individual developers running multiple IDE, Databases, VMs + multiple PCIe cards (accelerator, RAID, 10+ GbE...), enthusiast DIYers.
For all these latter users, it just sucks. Budgets are limited and it means $2,000+ (CPU + mobo) for the same capabilities and usage. To add injury to the wound, "Enterprise" pricing is a relative notion to say the least. When a corporate account buy systems by the palette, they get significant discounts. Such an opportunity will never occur for an individual. Get away low-life!
From AMD point of view, I would do the same thing to address all the internal
screams from sales managers protesting about the low-life Threadripper phagocyting their Threadripper PRO or EPYC sales. Indeed you want to phagocyte your competitor products not your products. Good for AMD. Not good for me. Fine.
When AMD was hungry they were looking for money from anywhere, including enthusiasts. No longer the case. Fine. But AMD marketing telling me in 2022 I asked for PRO only is pure BS. In French we calls that "wanting the butter, the cost of the butter and the ass of the farmer's wife". In other words, AMD should not pretend that its corporate America strategy and market segmentation is good for enthusiasts.
Happy 2950X and 3960X user here. When I saw AMD selling these back in 18 and repeat in 19, I could not believe they were doing so. Were they that hungry or simply market ignorant? I'll use these machines for 10 years or until AMD or INTEL do something similar. It would be interesting to see if INTEL or AMD declare pricing war on HEDT/Workstation. I'm not holding my breath. Again they have no incentive to disrupt their Enterprise products sales and they are not hungry anymore.
Extra Note: LENOVO and DELL use the same "users asked for it" to unilaterally lock the Threadripper PRO to their mobos brand by abusing AMD PSP. It's like HP abusing the DMCA by putting some IP in their ink cartridges.