Clock speed is more useful for users because most handset owners don't do multi-tasking very often, which leaves the other one or three cores idle beside the working core, experts said.

There's a big difference between PCs and phones. People often download, listen to music and write things at the same time on a personal computer, but they don't often do more than one or two things at a time on today's smartphones, according to Li.

Additional core doesn't mean advanced technology or higher cost because the improvement in performance gained by the use of a multi-core processor depends very much on the software algorithms and their implementation, said Sun Changxu, a semiconductor analyst at the Electronic Engineering Times, a professional semiconductor and electronics industry website.

Other firms, like Apple and Nokia Corp, seem to focus more on the user experience and innovative features.

Apple's iPhone 5, which will debut in the Chinese mainland later this month, retains a dual-core chip architecture. But it's still one of the best smartphones worldwide because of its enlarged screen and eco-system, industry insiders said.

Nokia's new flagship Lumia 920, which also features dual-core chips, has been selling well after its global debut, thanks to new technologies such as wireless charging and PureView camera.

For budget buyers, it's best to test a product and pay attention to other factors besides core numbers, like the interface and screens of lower-cost models. For those with deep pockets, it's still safe to buy quad-core phones with brands like Samsung or HTC. At higher prices, of course.

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