This summer, Starlink launched another hardware iteration of their terminals, the Starlink Mini. I have to admit that I only stumbled over it by accident, but I was immediately intrigued because it is significantly smaller than the Starlink terminal I tested in 2023.
Instead of weighing around 8 kg, including the external Wi-Fi router and requiring an entire suitcase to carry it, the Starlink Mini weighs just 1.2 kg. The dish now includes the Wi-Fi router and easily fits into a backpack, as it’s size is similar to a small 14″ notebook. If power is available, one can use the included power supply with the 15 m extension cable, which weigh 350g. If no power is available, powering the dish with a battery is also possible, but this option is of course a bit heavier.
The reduction in size is a real game changer in my eyes and reviewers also suggest that the new hardware requires less power, which translates into less weight to be carried in case now power is available at a location. While most things have shrunk significantly, the price for the dish is slightly higher than for the bigger version. Currently, Starlink charges €399 for the Mini in Germany. On the other hand, there are now monthly roam/mobility options to use Starlink anywhere in the country of registration and also worldwide for up to two months per trip. The unlimited monthly package is currently sold for €72, while a 50GB option goes for €40. That is significantly less than the prices last year.
Yes, I was intrigued and it just so happened that a use case will come up in the near future for which the Mini is ideally suited. So I decided to get one to try it out. Apart from the indicated lower power consumption, I was interested to find out how the downlink and uplink speeds compare to the much heavier Starlink dishes. Also, the Mini does not have a motor any more and has to be positioned by the user for what Starlink calls ‘optimal performance’. So what exactly does that mean in practice? If you are interested, stay tuned, the answers will come in a number of follow up posts in the next few days.