Starlink quietly released its latest V5 residential dish, and while it doesn’t boost data speeds, it offers several improvements. Compared to the previous V4 dish, the new model is smaller, lighter and more energy efficient, which should make it easier to install while also reducing your power bill.
SpaceX confirmed in a post on X that the product will arrive today in the US in certain regions at first. It follows the V4 model that debuted in 2023 and will continue to be offered via the Starlink Residential plan. “Starlink V5 has a smaller form factor, new lightweight design, greater power efficiency than the Starlink V4,” according to a support page that compares the two models.
You may expect a speed boost with a new dish, but the V5 actually supports a slightly lower data rate of 375+ Mbps compared to 400+ Mbps for the V4. However, the new model is considerably smaller at 2.4 pounds rather than 6.5 pounds and is just 5.12 x 12.05 x 1.34 inches in size, compared to 23.4 x 15.1 x 1.5 inches for the V4. It also consumes less power at 35 to 50 watts compared to 75 to 100 watts for the previous model.
It weighs nearly the same as the portable Starlink Mini, but unlike that model, the V5 isn’t designed for in-motion use, Starlink says. It will be bundled with the Router Mini and come with a “pipe adapter” for rooftop installation.
One region offering the new dish, according to a Reddit post seen by PCMag, is Drummond, Montana. There, the V5 dish is offered only with the least expensive $55 per month 100Mbps Residential plan. The pricier Residential and Residential Max plans only support the V4 dish with the superior Router 3, for now.
Elon Musk showed the new dish off recently in a video post on X, saying the new dish would be made in “much higher volume than the current terminals.” The company recently announced its next-gen Starlink Mobile network, set to launch in mid-2027, that would provide up to 150 Mbps speeds and “feel like you’re connected to a high-performing 5G terrestrial network.” Last year, the company also showed off a new $2,000 Performance dish designed to handle gigabit internet speeds.
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