SpaceX has quietly unveiled its latest satellite internet hardware, introducing the next-generation Starlink V5 kit.
According to an official announcement shared by Starlink, the new V5 model features a significantly smaller and lighter design than the previous V4 dish. Alongside the physical diet, the new hardware operates with much better power efficiency, meaning it will draw less electricity while running.
Look at the size differences below, with the new Starlink V5 on the right and V4 on the left:
Left: Starlink V4; Right: Starlink V5
Despite the smaller footprint, the company claims the Starlink V5 can deliver internet download speeds reaching upwards of 375 Mbps. This makes the new terminal a highly capable option for high-bandwidth activities like online gaming, video conferencing, and multiple 4K streaming sessions at home.
Check out the video below from Starlink:
The benefits of a smaller dish? SpaceX will be able to make them faster and with fewer materials and also ship them faster.
What’s in the box for V5:
The new V5 dish measures 384 by 306 by 34 millimetres and weighs a mere 1.1 kilograms, making it less than half the weight of the V4 dish, which stands at 2.9 kilograms. This physical optimization extends to the packaging and power supply, as the entire V5 kit weighs only 3.8 kilograms compared to the 6.45 kilograms package of the V4. Also, the V5 power supply unit is lighter and more compact, weighing just 0.40 kilograms compared to the 0.65 kilograms weight of the older V4 block.
Beyond physical portability, the V5 hardware operates with much greater power efficiency, drawing an average of 35 to 50 watts compared to the 75 to 100 watts average power consumption of the V4. While the V5 is rated for slightly lower theoretical peak download speeds of 375+ Mbps compared to the 400+ Mbps theoretical threshold of the V4, the new dish is significantly more ruggedized once mounted. The V5 is rated to withstand operational wind speeds of up to 265 kilometres per hour, a massive increase over the 96 kilometres per hour rating of the V4.
To further help with installation, SpaceX now packs a dedicated Pipe Adapter into the V5 kit box as standard, whereas the V4 did not include a mounting adapter in the box. Despite these physical and mounting changes, much of the core technology remains identical between the two generations.
Both kits ship with the exact same Wi-Fi 6 Router Mini, which covers up to 204 square metres, supports up to 235 connected devices, and features two built-in 1Gbps Ethernet ports. The underlying dish technology also shares the same electronic phased array antenna with a 110-degree field of view, relying on identical software-assisted manual orientation via the Starlink app.
Finally, both hardware models maintain a highly durable IP67 Type 4 environmental rating and are built to operate in identical weather extremes, functioning reliably from minus 30 degrees Celsius to 50 degrees Celsius.
As for Starlink V4, its theoretical threshold is 400 Mbps+ with a Residential Max plan, but in real life speeds are lower after taking into consideration area and coverage.For now, SpaceX is limiting the release of the V5 kit to selected geographic areas. The company noted that availability will expand to more regions as production scales up in the coming months. It remains to be seen if there will be an upgrade option for those with V4 hardware that want the latest from Starlink.
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