Newsflash to the DBZ fan:
The number of "Intel Guy"s who replace their processor significantly more often than Intel releases new chipsets is very small. You might want to ask Mommy to put some money into savings rather than 20% more folding points.

It's not as if Intel don't have anything to beat the Phenoms. There's Q9400, Q9550, QX9770, and the untouchable i7's. It's just that AMD decided to launch their processors at prices a bit lower than Intel's similar performing quads to steal some of their market share. So this is Intel's answer to them.

Actually Intel already have an advantage here IMO. cuz if an Intel guy decides to switch over to AMD phenoms, then he'll also have to buy a new mobo.

There's no way someone drops their pants around their ankles unless they are scared of something. Intel seem to have been hammered recently on earnings, which should make them want to 'firm up their pricing'. Review on A.N.Other site seems to indicate '6 star performance' from the Phenom II processors. Should be an interesting 2009: http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/245102/mesh-matrix-ii.html