Starlink’s new V5 dish won’t offer increased internet speeds, but it does feature upgrades that reduce the hardware’s weight, size, and power consumption, according to SpaceX.
Starlink.com was updated today with new pages about the next-generation dish, shortly after the information was added to the Starlink mobile app. The product follows the current V4 model, which debuted in late 2023 and is offered through Starlink’s Residential plan. In a tweet, SpaceX also confirmed the product is releasing today in the US, although only in certain areas.
The new V5 is on the right. The current V4 is on the left. (Credit: Starlink.com)
“Starlink V5 has a smaller form factor, new lightweight design, greater power efficiency than the Starlink V4,” says one support page, which includes a comparison between the two models.
Surprisingly, the new V5 offers a slightly lower max speed of 375+ Mbps compared to the V4’s 400+ Mbps. But the new dish’s weight has been reduced from 6.5 pounds to 2.4 pounds.
(Credit: Starlink.com)
The V5’s power consumption is also lower, averaging 35 to 50 watts, compared with 75 to 100 watts for the V4.
The V5’s weight is on par with the portable Starlink Mini, which weighs 2.4 pounds or 2.5 pounds once the kickstand is attached. The V5 is only a few inches wider, with dimensions of 12.05 by 15.12 inches, while the Mini comes in at 11.75 by 10.2 inches.
However, the V5 isn’t “intended for in-motion use.” The new model also doesn’t come with a new router. Instead, SpaceX plans to bundle it with a Router Mini, which has a limited Wi-Fi range. But on the plus side, the new dish model will come with a “pipe adapter” so that it can be installed on a roof.
(Credit: Starlink.com)
Another support page says the V5 “is available now in the United States for Residential customers,” but only in select areas. “As production ramps, Starlink V5 will be available in additional areas,” the company added.
One Reddit user spotted Starlink.com offering the V5 dish for new customers based in Drummond, Montana. Interestingly, the new hardware is only available for the cheapest Residential plan,100Mbps, with the $55-per-month pricing intact. A subscriber only needs to pay a $10 monthly rental fee, which the company introduced last month for new sign-ups. Meanwhile, the higher tier Residential 200Mbps and Residential Max instead offer the V4 dish.
(Starlink.com)
This suggests the V5 isn’t exactly a successor to the V4, as we originally thought. SpaceX seems to be positioning the older V4 as the more powerful consumer dish, technically offering a higher max speed. In addition, the V4 comes bundled with a Router 3, which features a better Wi-Fi range over the Router Mini. As for the V5, we wonder if it might be easier and more cost-effective for SpaceX to manufacture as it tries to grow Starlink worldwide.
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Tim Belfall, a director at UK-based Starlink installer Westend WiFi, initially spotted the changes on Starlink.com and told PCMag the new V5 is likely a “godsend” for people installing Starlink dishes, citing the smaller size and reduced weight. “I don’t do ladders, but watching installers struggle with a V4 is bottom-clenching,” he said.
For existing users, the V5 doesn’t exactly offer a major reason to upgrade when Starlink’s next major undertaking is to offer gigabit speeds through new satellites. Still, company CEO Elon Musk has signaled the new dish model will help the company reach even more customers. “These are the new Starlink terminals, which we made in much higher volume than the current terminals,” he said last month, while teasing the V5 alongside an upcoming new Mini dish. “Ultimately, we think there’s probably going to be a few hundred million Starlink terminals out there.”
For more information about the V5, Starlink.com has been updating itself with more information, including a spec sheet, accessory guide and setup guide. Last year, SpaceX debuted a new $1,999 Performance dish that’ll eventually support gigabit connections.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with more information including where it’s available.
About Our Expert
Michael Kan
Principal Reporter
Experience
I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. In 2024 and 2025, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how the AI-driven memory shortage is impacting the entire consumer electronics market. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.