Photos: 12 dual-core smartphones - not an iPhone in sight

Androids ahoy: Like chips on your chips? Feast your eyes on our dual-core smartphone round-up...

It's been years since Apple grabbed the smartphone industry by the scruff of its neck and started shaking, and today it's rare to find a high-end handset that isn't trying to catch up to the iPhone.

But there is one area where mobile makers have been able to steal a march on Apple: under the hood, and Apple's Android-touting rivals have not wasted any time beefing up their innards with dual-core chips.

There is a question mark about whether dual-core chips bring a significant performance boost to the current crop of Android smartphones - running Gingerbread or earlier - as the mobile OS hasn't yet been optimised for dual-core chips, so it's not best positioned to make use of parallel processing. But that hasn't stopped mobile makers piling chips on their chips. If they can't beat Apple at apps, they're hoping to win the game of spec sheet top trumps.

Want to know your dual-core smartphone options? Here's our round-up of the current crop of dual-core devices...

HTC Sensation

The Android-based HTC Sensation, pictured above, is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm chip. Other notable specs are its 4.3-inch display and an eight-megapixel rear camera.

Available in the UK?
Yes.

The HTC Evo, pictured above, is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core chip. The Android Gingerbread smartphone has a 4.3-inch display and packs dual five-megapixel cameras but its USP is its autostereoscopic - glasses-free - 3D screen.

Available in the UK?
Yes.

First to the dual-core smartphone punch was the Android-based LG Optimus 2X, unveiled at the end of 2010.

The four-inch-screen smartphone packs a dual-core 1GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 chip and an eight-megapixel rear camera.

Available in the UK?
Yes.

Another dual-core smartphone from the LG stables is the LG Optimus 3D. The twist here is not so much the double helping of chips but - clue's in the name - its autostereoscopic 3D screen.

The Android smartphone has a 4.3-inch screen and packs a 1GHz dual-core Texas Instruments Omap 4430 chip. There's a five-megapixel rear camera onboard too.

Available in the UK?
Yes.

The Motorola Atrix was another early adopter of dual-core, unveiled at the start of this year.

The Android smartphone has a four-inch screen and packs a 1GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 AP20H dual-core processor. The handset features a five-megapixel rear camera.

Also notable: a laptop dock which transforms the Atrix into a desktop-style mobile computer.

Available in the UK?
Yes.

Motorola Droid X2

Clue's in the name: the Motorola Droid X2 packs a dual-core chip, specifically an Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core 1GHz processor.

The Android smartphone has a 4.3-inch screen and there's an eight-megapixel rear camera.

Available in the UK?
Not currently.

Keyboard lovers rejoice - there's a dual-core smartphone for you too. The Motorola Droid 3 has a full slide-out Qwerty keyboard.

The Android Gingerbread smartphone features a four-inch screen and packs an eight-megapixel rear camera. Its CPU is a 1GHz dual-core Texas Instruments Omap 4430 processor.

Available in the UK?
Not currently.

Another dual-core handset from Motorola is the Motorola Droid Bionic.

The Android Gingerbread smartphone has a 4.3-inch screen and packs a dual-core 1GHz TI Omap processor. There's an eight-megapixel rear camera.

Also notable: onboard 4G LTE connectivity, tapping into US 4G networks. Like the Motorola Atrix, the Droid Bionic can also plug into a proprietary laptop dock.

Available in the UK?
Not currently.

Here's yet another Motorola dual-core smartphone: the Motorola Photon 4G.

The Android Gingerbread handset has a 4.3-inch touchscreen display and packs an eight-megapixel rear camera. Its CPU is a dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor. As the name suggests, the Photon includes 4G LTE connectivity.

Available in the UK?
Not currently.

Samsung has got in on the dual-core action too, with its Samsung Galaxy S II smartphone.

The Android Gingerbread handset has a 4.27-inch Super Amoled Plus display and packs a 1.2GHz Samsung Exynos dual-core processor. There's an eight-megapixel rear camera. Also worth a boast: the S II's slender form factor - just 8.49mm.

Available in the UK?
Yes.

Samsung's dual-core range also includes the Samsung Epic Touch 4G.

The Android Gingerbread handset has a dual-core Samsung Exynos 1.2GHz chip and packs an eight-megapixel rear camera. There's a 4.5-inch Super Amoled Plus display, plus 4G LTE connectivity.

Available in the UK?
Not currently.

Another Samsung 2x device is the Samsung Galaxy Note.

The Android Gingerbread device packs a dual-core Samsung Exynos 1.4GHz chip and has an eight-megapixel rear camera. Most notable about the Note, however, is its massive 5.3-inch Super Amoled touchscreen, making this smartphone more tablet-mini than handy handset.

Available in the UK?
Not currently.