This question What are the benefits of a Dual-Core CPU over Quad-Core in a Desktop PC? has been answered and accepted, yet the information therein is over four years old.
How can we reopen this topic/question to get more updated information regarding the current state of Dual-Core vs. Quad-Core computing / applications? I'm thinking that new applications are embracing multi-threading and that maybe in today's world Quad-Cores might be better than at that time.
For those of you in the comments who suggested of a new question being opened, what do you think of this:
Title: Do multi-core CPUs still suffer from diminishing returns in today's world?
Body: It has been shown in other questions that due to the state of computer applications, multi-core processors suffer from diminishing returns. Is this still the case in today's world?
Do most new applications embrace multi-threading, and thus take advantage of having multiple cores? If not, do the newer 64-bit OS's help take advantage of the cores by assigning tasks/processes to different cores? Or do multi-core processors still continue to suffer from the same (or similar) diminishing returns?