but what's the manufacturing process of router chips ? surely a router inner logic is way less than a rpi SoC so it could be trimmed down over time through simple smaller features .. ?
Home routers are just a general purpose CPU (ARM or MIPS) running a trimmed down OS. Thats why you can install openWRT on a lot of them and run arbitrary code.
IMO the problem is like with cable boxes- forget about the manufacturing node, there's just little incentive for the router companies to optimize power because few people pay attention to it.
