UPDATED: Elon Teases Starlink Mini Details – Cheaper Hardware and Subscription Cost?

Over the weekend, Elon Musk teased some new information about the upcoming Starlink Mini system via posts on his X timeline - revealing for the first time information about pricing and availability.

This is the most solid information yet on just what to expect from the Starlink Mini - a new addition to the Starlink family that we first reported being in the pipeline back in March 2023.

The Starlink Mini has now been approved by the FCC (including for in motion usage), and based on Elon's recent post it seems that SpaceX is gearing up to bring it to market soon.

We expect that the Mini will become a top option for nomads looking to keep connected on the go, and it will become a great way to add Starlink capability to any mobile internet arsenal.

But just what is different about the Mini, and what makes it so exciting for the RV and boating market?

Starlink Mini Video

 

Starlink Mini Details

We've known the basic dimensions of the Starlink Mini since the original FCC filings in March 2023, and Elon has mentioned in the past that it would be portable enough to "fit in a backpack" - about the size of a 14" MacBook Pro.

Over the weekend the Starlink app was updated to support the Starlink Mini, and exploring the app UI reveals the first images of what the Starlink Mini actually looks like.

No surprise - it is basically a smaller version of the Starlink Gen 3, featuring a detachable kickstand so that it can be set up with a slight angle towards the optimal quadrant of the sky.

The Starlink Mini also features an integrated Wi-Fi router - meaning that all it needs is power and a view of the sky to get online and create a Starlink-based Wi-Fi hotspot.

This integrated Wi-Fi router is going to keep the Mini dish much more portable and easier to setup quickly when carrying it with you. 

The app also reveals that the Mini can pair with auxiliary Starlink routers to create a mesh network, extending Wi-Fi coverage.

There also is still be support for Ethernet out and pass-thru mode so that you can feed the Starlink Mini into a more capable router, potentially combining Starlink and cellular for the best of satellite and terrestrial capabilities.

There still isn't any firm confirmation yet on whether or not the Starlink Mini will be able to be directly DC powered, or if it will still require an AC power supply. Either way - we do suspect that the Starlink Mini will prove to be much less power-hungry than the Starlink Standard system, making it a much better match for off-grid systems.

UPDATE: Power consumption details are now available. The (preliminary) Starlink Mini specifications document shows average power consumption of just 25 watts, with peak power consumption of 60 watts when snow melt mode is engaged.

The Starlink Mini can be directly DC powered - and accepts DC inputs ranging from 12V to 48V, making it easy to integrate into vehicle power systems.

It can also be powered over USB-C from a USB PD 100W capable source, using an optional Starlink USB-C to Barrel Jack cable accessory.

Starlink Mini Price & Performance

It has always been certain that the Starlink Mini would sacrifice performance compared to the Starlink Standard - there is no getting around the laws of physics that come into play with a physically smaller antenna.

The open question has been - just how much impact will there be?

Elon Musk posted the first ever public speed test showing off Starlink Mini - and the results are impressive.

The 100 Mbps down and 11.5 Mbps up he shared are likely best case numbers (Elon certainly has top priority access on the Starlink network) - but this is still plenty fast enough for 4K download streaming and most online tasks other than for those with demanding upload needs.

This is roughly 1/3 to 1/4 the best speeds we have seen reported on Starlink Standard systems in non-congested areas.

For most nomadic users - this performance hit is likely worth the added convenience.

We do suspect the smaller antenna in the Starlink Mini will likely be more impacted by adverse weather (such as snow or heavy rain) compared to the Starlink Standard and the Starlink Flat High Performance, and that it may not deal as well with partially obstructed views of the sky.

But only after hands-on testing will we know for sure just what the full tradeoffs are.

Starlink Mini Pricing & Availability

The biggest surprise this weekend was Elon teasing that the Starlink Mini would be "about half the price of the standard dish to buy and monthly subscription" - meaning that the Mini will potentially launch at just $250 - half the newly reduced price of the Starlink Standard.

His wording also leaves open the possibility that the monthly subscription might be cheaper as well.

A Starlink Mini plan half the $150/mo Starlink Standard Roam plan would certainly attract a lot of attention - even if it had data or speed limits attached.

So when can we get a Starlink Mini?

According to Elon - it will be rolling out in "select areas" in a few months.

Concluding Thoughts

A Starlink system small enough to carry in a backpack is indeed pretty revolutionary - and it will open up connectivity to a whole new audience of nomads.

And if SpaceX does indeed manage to bring it to market for just $250 - that will make it even more attractive.

There are however still plenty of open questions to be answered about the new Starlink Mini dish.

Plan details, power requirements, and final price all remain to be confirmed.

We certainly expect to see the Starlink Mini becoming extremely popular in the RV and boating communities once it is launched. 

We've been waiting over a year for the Mini Dish to become a reality, and it's getting closer than ever. 

We look forward to getting our hands on a Mini - and putting it through its paces.

Stay tuned!

UPDATES: Starlink Mini Technical Specs Revealed

Just a few hours after this story was first published, SpaceX quietly published a Starlink Mini Specifications page and Setup Guide on their website - revealing a few more details about the Starlink Mini.

Here are some of the details we've now been able to confirm.

Additional Tech Specs Video

 

Size & Weight & Mounting Options

The Starlink Mini is 11.75" x 10.2" x 1.45", and weighs just 2.43 lbs.

The kit comes with a detachable kickstand, and also comes with a pipe mount adapter that allows it to be mounted to a pole ranging from 1.25" to 2" in diameter.

The Starlink Mini has the same 110 degree field of view of the sky as the Starlink Standard, meaning that aiming is not particularly critical.

But the Starlink app will still guide you through manually rotating the Starlink Mini so that it is pointed towards the optimal direction for your location.

Power Requirements

Average power consumption of the Starlink Mini is rated at just 25 watts, with peak power consumption of 60 watts when snow melt mode is engaged.

This is still more power hungry than cellular systems - but this is much more palatable for off grid usage than the Starlink Standard.

The Starlink Mini can be directly DC powered - and accepts DC inputs ranging from 12V to 48V, making it easy to integrate into vehicle power systems. The kit also comes with a basic AC wall-wart power supply, and a 15m power cable.

It can also be powered over USB-C from a USB PD 100W capable source, using an optional Starlink USB-C to Barrel Jack cable accessory.

Here is how it compares to the Starlink Standard:

Starlink Standard power specifications:

• • Average: 75-100 W
  • Idle: 20W

Starlink Mini power specifications:

• • Average: 20-40W
  • Idle: 15W

This is a huge win for the Mini!

Wi-Fi Router Specs

One bit of disappointing news revealed in the specifications is that the integrated Wi-Fi router inside the Starlink Mini support Wi-Fi 5, and not Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 7. It also only supports WPA2 security and not WPA3.

It seems really odd for a new product in 2024 to be using such old Wi-Fi technology.

We expect that most with more demanding Wi-Fi networking needs will use the Starlink Mini in bypass mode, connected via Ethernet to a more capable router.

Starlink Mini Plan Pricing Leak?!?

One other odd bit of news overnight - several people reported seeing the option for ordering Starlink Mini pop up on the Starlink website.

The option presented showed Starlink Standard at $499, and Starlink Mini priced at $599 - not cheaper, as Elon's postings had indicated.

But the real surprise was the Starlink Mini plan price - just $30/mo!

Orders for the Starlink Mini however would not go through, and the Starlink website was quickly updated to remove this option entirely - so we suspect this was just a development glitch.

But the possibility of a $30/mo Starlink Mini plan is indeed intriguing.

If SpaceX were to launch a plan at this price - we would have to imagine that it would be speed and/or data capped to limit usage.

Hopefully we will get more official details soon - but one way or another, it seems that the Mini is coming soon!

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