Why it matters: If you’ve been holding out on signing up for Starlink’s satellite internet service because of the bulky dish or high price tag, you’ll want to pay attention to their latest innovation. SpaceX has just unveiled the Starlink Mini – a compact, travel-friendly dish that could make portable internet access a reality for more people than ever.
Details started trickling out over the weekend after some official images of the tiny dish were released on social media. Ukrainian engineer Oleg Kutkov posted the pictures and shared internal documents from Starlink Mini’s recent FCC certification. Shortly after, a surprise tweet from Elon Musk really got people’s attention.
Starlink Mini official specifications:
WiFi 5 (sorry!) 3 x 3 MU-MIMO.
1 Ethernet port with a rubber plug.
Power input: 12-48 V, up to 60W, Barrel
Jack.
USB-C to Barrel Jack Cable (sells separately).
1.10 kg (2.43 lb) without stand.
The kickstand and pipe adapter are included. pic.twitter.com/MPfVuuins2– Oleg Kutkov ðºð¦ (@olegkutkov) June 18, 2024
Responding to a quoted post, the SpaceX CEO bragged that he had “just set [the dish] up right now” and that the process only took about 5 minutes. He also included a screenshot showing fast 100Mbps download speeds and stellar 23ms latency – low enough for seamless cloud gaming.
I just set it up right now and am writing this post through space.
Took less than 5 mins. Easily carried in a backpack.
This product will change the world.
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 17, 2024
As the FCC documents revealed, those are some impressive figures for something that measures 11.4 x 9.8 inches, around the same size as a small laptop. It’s also less than half the size of Starlink’s original 23-inch dish. And while there’s no word on the exact weight, it was undoubtedly designed for portability.
Starlink Mini supports the latest WiFi 6 standard on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, 3×3 MIMO, and 802.11ax for enhanced speeds and range. There’s also an ethernet port if you’d prefer a hardwired connection.
The real game-changer is the price point. While the current Starlink kit runs $599 for new customers, Musk says the Mini will cost “about half” as much – so likely $299 or less. That makes Starlink a much more viable option for households on a budget or anyone looking for a portable internet solution when traveling, camping, or working remotely.
Unfortunately, the Mini sacrifices a bit of performance compared to the full-sized dish. The 100Mbps speeds that Musk showed off are still fast enough for HD streaming, video calls, and casual gaming. However, it’s a notable step down from the 200+ Mbps you can get with the original Starlink kit.
Musk didn’t mention when Starlink Mini would hit the market. However, Kutkov speculated that it might arrive in a month or two.
