>When Intel starts disabling cores that are fully functional, then the practice shifts over into the bad column of artificial product segmentation.

Why?

If their yield improves, should lower core count chips become scarce and then approach the cost per core of higher end chips? That's not exactly in the interest of a consumer anyway.

Also, they absolutely already do that today - all chip manufacturers make viable cores inaccessible so they can have the right part mix that is selling the way they want.

If your demand curve perfectly matches your supply/yield curve, great - but that's rare over time.