SpaceX has begun offering its newest residential Starlink dish, the Starlink V5, in limited markets, according to the company’s product information. For home users, the practical pitch is straightforward: the new kit takes up less space, weighs less, and uses power more efficiently than the current V4 dish.
The company describes V5 as a home-internet terminal, rather than a roaming device. SpaceX says the dish is not meant for in-motion use. Customers who want a Starlink kit designed for use while moving will have to wait for the revised Starlink Mini that SpaceX previewed alongside V5 last month.
What changes from V4
The visible change is size. SpaceX’s own comparison image shows the V5 as the smaller unit next to the larger V4 dish. The company also says the newer model is lighter and has better power efficiency. SpaceX has not provided, in the available material, the full performance table needed to compare every specification in detail.
- Availability: V5 is on sale in “select areas,” according to SpaceX.
- Use case: SpaceX positions it as a residential Starlink kit for home internet.
- Physical design: SpaceX says it is smaller and lighter than the V4 dish.
- Power: SpaceX claims improved efficiency compared with V4.
- Mobility: SpaceX says V5 is not intended for in-motion operation.
That last point matters because Starlink’s hardware lineup is now splitting more clearly by use case. V5 is the home dish. The upcoming refreshed Mini is the product SpaceX has tied to mobile use. SpaceX has not said in the available announcement when that revamped Mini will ship.
SpaceX says V5 will reach additional locations as it increases production to satisfy worldwide demand. The company has not named every market included in the initial rollout in the information made available here, so buyers still need to check Starlink’s own availability pages for their address.
For now, the confirmed story is narrower than the usual hardware-launch fog: SpaceX has a smaller residential Starlink dish on sale in some areas, with claimed gains in weight and power efficiency over V4. Anyone expecting one kit to cover both home broadband and service while moving should read the fine print before ordering.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.
