No, this is the opposite phenomenon. Chip frequencies didn't detach from the reality. However, as you point out, the performance improved regardless because fr

No, this is the opposite phenomenon. Chip frequencies didn't detach from the reality. However, as you point out, the performance improved regardless because frequency wasn't the only thing that could be improved. Another poster summarized what happened with transistor 'density'. New techniques were invented that 'effectively' improved performance, and the industry apparently wanted to continue to use this one number as the basic benchmark.