CPU performance increases are a lot slower now so it now makes sense to spend time on custom RTL. In the past you would just wait 8 months and buy the new twice

CPU performance increases are a lot slower now so it now makes sense to spend time on custom RTL. In the past you would just wait 8 months and buy the new twice as fast CPU. FPGAs are a waste of Silicon compared to ASICs, but for fixed applications they are less wasteful than CPUs.