Dual-core processors didn't always fare well. To be fair, these tests tend to focus on single applications running at a time (even though some are multi-threaded). We're not attempting to measure perceived responsiveness, and that may be the dual-core processor's real strength. Of course, part of the reason is that the dual-core CPUs tend to be priced higher than their single-core clock-rate equivalents. Certainly the die sizes are as much to blame as any premium pricing by the CPU companies: A bigger die means higher costs, and so they need to be priced higher. If you compare them with the cost of two single cores, then the picture looks a bit brighter. But it's also clear that application development for multicore is still relatively immature, and we'll need to wait awhile to see more significant benefits.