Sense fans in Taiwan can now gain access to HTC’s latest Sense 5 user interface on a budget, thanks to the new Desire 500. The midrange device boasts a 4.3-inch WVGA display and a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon 200 processor, and it’s currently one of the cheapest ways to get your hands on BlinkFeed.

The Desire 500 also comes with 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, and a microSD card slot. It weighs 123 grams, has a 1,800 mAh battery, and dual-SIM functionality — so you can use two SIM cards simultaneously.

Although the Desire 500 does have BlinkFeed, it’s missing other headline HTC features, such as the dual BoomSound speakers and the UltraPixel camera. It does have Beats Audio, however, and an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera which should be plenty good enough for casual snaps.

The Desire 500 is expected to cost around NT$11,900, which is roughly $400. That’s not cheap for a midrange smartphone, so it’ll be interesting to see how popular the Desire 500 can become.

The device will be exclusive to Taiwan, but those in Europe can look at the entry-level Desire 200 and the midrange Desire 600 for alternatives.

• SourceHTC