SpaceX’s Starlink service, renowdned for providing internet-from-space connectivity to boats, planes, vanlifers, Amazonian villages, and rural homes across more than 75 countries, is now catering to backpackers with its new compact Starlink Mini.
The Starlink Mini, about the size of a thick laptop, is DC-powered and incorporates the Wi-Fi router directly within the dish. Despite its reduced power consumption, it still achieves speeds exceeding 100Mbps. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk highlighted the product’s impact, stating on X that it can be set up in under five minutes.
The Mini kit averages a power consumption of 20-40W, significantly lower than the 33-62W of the previous Standard Actuated dish paired with an AC-powered Wi-Fi router. This efficiency means the Mini dish can operate for two to three hours on a power source like an Anker Prime 27,650mAh (99.54Wh) power bank, or over an hour with a 10,000mAh (40Wh) portable battery. It requires a USB-C PD power source with a 100W (20V/5A) rating.
Measuring 11.75 x 10.2 x 1.45 inches (298.5 x 259 x 38.5mm) and weighing 2.43 pounds (1.1kg)—or 3.37 pounds (1.53kg) with the 49.2 foot (15m) DC power cable and kickstand—the Mini dish boasts an IP67 rating, ensuring protection against dust and rain, including short-term water immersion.
In the US, Starlink Mini is currently an add-on to Residential plans. The Mini kit is priced at $599, $100 more than the standard dish, with an additional $30 per month for the Mini Roam service on top of the existing $120 Residential plans. This provides up to 50GB of mobile data monthly, with extra data available at $1 per GB, as outlined in early-access invitations sent to some existing US Starlink customers.
While new to the US market, Starlink Mini is already available in Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Panama, where it can be purchased with Mini Service or Mobile – Regional Service plans. These regions do not impose data or speed caps for Mini use, though in-motion and ocean use are prohibited. SpaceX plans to expand the service to more markets over time.
“Our aim is to make Starlink more affordable, especially for those in areas where connectivity has been prohibitively expensive or unavailable,” states the Starlink support page. “In high-demand regions like the US, where the Starlink Mini places additional load on the satellite network, we are initially offering a limited number of Mini Kits at a higher price point.”
