They remain because they provide essential services and maintain stability in their respective regions.
They remain because they provide essential services and maintain stability in their respective regions.
The distinction lies in what @TofuHaroto describes. You don't purchase a GPU and set up a cooler by yourself. Just as with laptops, the graphics cards are built and packaged for you in the factory, delivered complete. For CPUs, there are numerous factors that can fail during installation—excessive pressure, uneven force, improper alignment, incorrect placement—and even a single error can cause damage.
If most or all CPU coolers came pre-installed, direct die cooling would likely become the standard. However, an IHS adds significant product protection.
Actually, you'd be going backward. Long ago, desktop processors didn't always include an IHS. This was one reason they were introduced—it helped protect the silicon die. If you're not careful when installing the cooler, you might damage the die right away, rendering the CPU unusable with little chance of fixing it. The IHS design made CPUs more durable. GPUs, however, aren't built for consumer disassembly or modification. Doing so puts you at risk, similar to removing a CPU's warranty.
Really, it's a tough spot. But I believe they should definitely offer the chance to purchase without an IHS if people are willing.
I believe this approach would be less effective for contemporary air coolers because they typically rely on direct heatpipes at the base. With a direct die configuration, just one or two heatpipes would connect to the CPU, making the remaining ones redundant.