Microsoft has added a new Windows Phone handset to its low-cost smartphone range, officially introducing the new Lumia 540 dual SIM.

The new smartphone comes as the successor to the affordable Lumia 535 dual SIM, retaining the budget-friendly aspect but adding some improvements along the way.

"Our customers are the source of so much inspiration, but we know they have different needs and budgets, so we always want to provide choice. That's why today we're introducing the new Lumia 540 Dual SIM," Microsoft touts in a new press release on the Lumia Conversations blog.

The new Lumia 540 dual SIM sports a 5-inch display with an HD resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels at 294 pixels per inch and packs a 1.2GHz quad-core processor paired with 1GB of RAM under the hood. Other specs include 8GB of internal storage capacity, microSD card support for additional memory of up to 128GB, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 5-megapixel wide-angle front shooter, and a 2,200 mAh battery to keep things up and running. The phone tops out at 3G, as it doesn't support 4G connectivity.

In other words, the new Lumia 540 dual SIM comes with the same processor, display size, and memory as the Lumia 535 dual SIM, but it features a better display resolution, a larger battery, and a superior main camera.

On the software side, the Lumia 540 dual SIM will ship with Windows Phone 8.1 on board out of the box, complete with Lumia Denim, but will receive an upgrade to the latest Windows 10 when it's ready to roll out later this year.

The new Microsoft Lumia 540 dual SIM is set to start shipping in India, Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Italy in May, sporting a recommended retail price of $149. The smartphone will be available in cyan, orange, matte black, and white color options.

In conclusion, the Microsoft Lumia 540 will come with mid-range specifications on board and will not deliver a top-notch performance, but it should be more than decent for its price tag and category. For more details about the smartphone and to see it in action, check out the company's promotional video below, or head over to the product page on Microsoft's website at this link to read more about it.