Silicon design could be easily ported to smaller process, but going backwards to bigger process is something that can be only possible if design isn't utilizing smaller process advantages at all. Natural evolution is to shrink previous node design to new node, and then evolve design to utilize transistors where smaller process makes it possible.
RocketLake isn't backported design but design made for 14nm, it is vastly different to Intel 10nm designs. CPU core might be closely related to 10nm versions but also it would need to be redesigned to 14nm, timings and layouts made for 10nm can't be used on 14nm.
Other way around things are easier and Intel could easily port eg Tigerlake to 7nm if desired - but to fully utilize 7nm possibilities need design made for 7nm - without backport opportunity.
Not quite. So, usually designs made for smaller nodes are wider. The wider features help performance, but generate heat. The companies are using the efficiency in power consumption to lower heat with smaller nodes, thereby allowing the designs to work.
If you bring the design to a larger process, it now runs too hot. This is why Intel is said to be going to 8 cores instead of the current 10 cores. The changes also removed certain features so that instead of the 25% IPC tiger has over Skylake, you get about 20%.
So it really should be discussed in process node efficiencies as to why the redesign is needed going backwards, but not needed moving forwards.
But that is my take.
Can't say for sure if it is the local market price gouging or coming from AMD but the 3900XT is roughly $550 while the 3900X is going for roughly $470 so thats a $80 difference. If a 4900X now goes on the market for $550 it doesn't look like such a big price hike it really is.
They have done that every generation. I bought in for a 1950X. The price fell over time. The 2950X was $900 at launch or around that. The 3950X was mainstream and $750, which during the zen years, AMD process the quad channel memory and extra lanes at a $150 premium, so no discount there.
So if pricing is around the release price of the prior generation without going up, then it will be the same of what they have been doing.
The price increase argument is that they released XT to then say buy Zen 2 if you want cheaper and make Zen 3 way more than Zen 2 was at launch.