The biggest craze in the world of smartphones this year is set to be the introduction of dual core processors with the world's first dual core handset, the LG Optimus 2X, already going on sale in Asian and European markets. Although beaten to the finish line in the United States by the Motorola Atrix 4G, the high powered LG smartphone is now coming to the United States in the form of the T-Mobile G2x which, as the name change would suggest, has had some slight modifications for the US market. However, aside from an increase in data connection speeds, these modifications are only slight and mean that US smartphone users will be able to enjoy the same great phone that is causing such a sensation elsewhere in the world.

Connectivity

Physically the Optimus 2X and G2x are almost identical aside from the substitution of the T-Mobile logo for LG branding. The biggest change for the G2x is the support for '4G' networks in the form of HSPA+. This should offer users of the G2x significantly increased data speeds compared to their Asian and Euro counterparts who were restricted to standard HSPA connections. While some may argue that this is not strictly speaking 4G, it is still the most noticeable change between the two versions of the handset.

Like the earlier Optimus design the G2x comes with DLNA enabled Wi-Fi and an HDMI port which will allow the device to be hooked up to a TV. The Wi-Fi connection allows the G2x to be connected to other DLNA compatible devices and also means that the phone can be used as a wireless hub. The G2x also operates on GSM like the original 2X, with quad band GSM connections in use due to the T-Mobile network supporting it. T-Mobile have also added some of their own features onto the G2x including T-Mobile TV and T-Mobile Video Chat to put these connectivity features to good use.

Processor

The two devices are identical in terms of processing power, with the same Tegra 2 dual core ARM Cortex A9 1GHz processor in use and 512MB RAM to play around with. Both phones also feature the same NVidia GeForce graphics acceleration that make them high powered devices for all the latest games and apps. The G2x is certainly a smartphone on which you will find yourself partaking a lot in these visually intensive features, largely due to its gorgeous screen.

Screen

There is no real change in terms of the screen in use on the G2x as we can find the same superb 4" capacitive display that was employed on the Optimus 2X. This includes WVGA graphics with 16 million colors, an accelerometer for auto UI rotation and a gyro sensor for 3 axis controls. The gyro sensor is put to good use with many apps and games available from Android Market and this feature in itself adds a significant twist over earlier gyro-less phones.

The display comes with 1080p video playback and is pretty fantastic for all things visual. The hardware power on board also means that you can put this great screen to good use with many fantastic games.

Cameras

The camera has not really changed in the transition from Optimus 2X to G2x. The 8 megapixel camera is pretty impressive with a wealth of features like geo-tagging, touch focus and smile detection and comes with high quality HD video recording with a choice of either 720p or 1080p quality. The 8GB of internal memory and extra 32GB available through microSD means there is plenty of room to go filming to your heart's content.

The G2x also comes with a 1.3 megapixel front facing camera for video calling and this can be achieved through the Google Talk included with the Android OS, or through T-Mobile's Video Chat that was not available on the Optimus 2X.

Messaging and OS

Threaded SMS is on offer with the G2x as well as MMS, instant messaging and email clients such as Gmail. The Android operating system in use on the G2x comes with fantastic integration for social networks like Facebook and Twitter. Although the G2x will initially ship with Froyo on board it will be upgradeable to Gingerbread at some point in the future. Although it is not entirely clear just yet it appears that LG have not included the same user interface that was found on the Optimus 2X, with the G2x appearing to come with a stock installation of Android.

Conclusion

It seems that despite the name change the G2x is still for all intents and purposes the same fantastic handset that was released elsewhere as the Optimus 2X. The only real differences are superficial – the T-Mobile branding and T-Mobile apps that come preloaded, although the G2x is certainly more favorable when it comes to data connections. Although the HSPA+ connection in place is not "true" 4G as some had hoped it still offers a great advantage over the Optimus version.