There exists a non-intuitive asymmetry in the nature of systems like multi-core. Do four 10mph car crashes do the same damage as one 40mph crash? If it can be properly coordinated. If you can coordinate it, how much does the coordination cost? At worst you only have the power of one 10mph crash, often at best too.

Programming for multi-core can a hard problem but the problem doesn't always lie in our abilities, many times it's computationally impossible.

To play games and video is a must right? We want the most from our battery right? A fact of the situation is that high power activities are many times mutually exclusive from low power activities right? So what is awful, inelegant or stupid about the design? The asymmetry? There is asymmetry of the interaction? Should you cary around a dumb-phone, a gameboy, and a video player? Maybe more elegant, but it sure is more awful.

P.S. Don't talk about FP son ;)