Starlink Mini Review: Is the Smaller, Lighter Starlink Worth It?

Starlink Mini is lightweight and even more convenient than the already user-friendly Standard satellite internet equipment. When I first got my hands on the Mini, I expected a pared-down version of the Standard Starlink dish—half the size for half the performance. Instead, I was astonished by the small device’s efficiency and internet speed. 

The Mini with a Starlink Roam plan provides reliable internet on the go, with speeds that are comparable to Starlink’s Residential plans. However, a primary obstacle for most users, and one that I encountered myself, is the power situation. For being a mobile solution, being able to power the Mini is a challenge and extra cost to the already pricey device. 

I got to experience the Mini’s performance in both a stationary environment and while in motion.

• Starlink Mini & Roam Pricing
• Starlink Mini Specifications
• Starlink Mini Speed
• Starlink Mini Reliability
• Starlink Mini Wi-Fi
• Powering the Starlink Mini
• Starlink Mini Accessories
• Is the Mini Worth It?

Hi, I’m Andreas Rivera, a technology writer with a nearly decade-long career reviewing products and services. For this review, I had the opportunity to do first-hand testing of a Starlink Mini with the 50GB Roam plan. I also compared my experience to my prior testing of the Standard Starlink dish, proprietary data on speeds and pricing, and research into the satellite internet industry and the technology that drives it.

For more on my experience with Starlink's fixed, residential internet service, read my Starlink review here.

The Starlink Mini retails for $599, far more expensive than the Standard dish, which currently retails for $349. Starlink will have temporary sales on equipment and has, in the past, discounted the Mini by up to $150. Like Starlink’s other products, you need to purchase the equipment, and there’s no option to lease it.

The Mini is compatible with Starlink’s two Roam plans. Roam Unlimited gives you unlimited data, while the Roam 50GB limits you to 50GB per month. You can opt in for additional data at a rate of $1 per gigabit. This makes 50GB ideal for temporary use, like a long weekend trip, while I recommend Unlimited for those who are constantly traveling. You can also pause either plan at any time. 

The Mini fits in my backpack alongside my laptop, and it’s not too much heavier. In fact, it just barely weighs more than the portable power supply I carry around with it.  It has a kickstand to angle it like the Starlink Standard for optimal signal and can be used while moving less than 100 miles per hour. There are methods for setting up the dish as a permanent install to a vehicle, but I found it worked just as well inside my car.

Starlink specifies that the Mini provides download speeds of at least 30 to 100 Mbps. However, I found that it’s capable of delivering speeds that far exceed this claim. I tested it on several occasions with both SatelliteInternet.com’s speed test tool and the one that’s built into the Starlink app. 

It demonstrated a strong signal and consistently showed speeds ranging between 100 to 200 Mbps. The fastest result I got was 222 Mbps, and that was even on a day with overcast and light snow.

It was plenty enough speed for me to browse the web, stream music, and even watch a live stream. I could do everything with the Starlink Mini that I could with a Standard dish. Also, just as with the Standard, latency remained low, making loading pages and streaming seamless. 

However, just as Starlink advises, I can’t guarantee everyone will get these same speeds, as Starlink’s performance is highly dependent on location, time of day, and network capacity. Milage will vary, but I’m confident that most users will be able to receive sufficient speeds for most internet applications.

Starlink’s dishes are engineered to be intuitive to set up and use. The Mini is even more so since it’s meant to be used on the go. Just like the Standard dish, the time I set up the Mini for the first time, it took several minutes to update the software so I could start using it. In fact, every time I break it out to connect, it usually takes a few minutes for the Mini to begin communicating with satellites. However, once it does, it maintains its connection, even if you move it around. 

I took it with me on a brief road trip, securing it to my dashboard and turning off my smartphone’s 5G. I was able to stream my music and podcasts as I drove on the freeway and didn’t experience any interruptions. My passengers could also easily connect to the Mini with their phones and use the web at the same time.

The Starlink Mini’s onboard Wi-Fi router axes the need for an external router, further contributing to the device’s portability. One drawback is that it runs off the last generation Wi-Fi 5 standard rather than the more modern Wi-Fi 6. The key difference is in performance and how many devices can wirelessly connect to it. 

It has a single ethernet port that could be used to connect it directly to a computer or an external router. When using an external router, you need to put the Starlink Mini in bypass mode, which basically shuts off the internal router. 

I recommend using an external router if you’re really in need of stronger Wi-Fi, like if you need better performance, further reach, or need to connect more devices. However, I found that the Mini’s onboard Wi-Fi is sufficient when connecting a handful of devices. I also found it has pretty good reach—I found I could still connect my phone to it up to about 350 feet away.

A drawback to the Starlink Mini is the issue of powering the dish. It’s engineered to be a more portable version of Starlink, but the satellite internet provider gives customers few options for powering the dish without investing in additional equipment. It also provides little guidance on what kind of power source will work with the Mini.

Included in the Starlink Mini kit is a 50-foot-long DC power cable and power supply. The lengthy power cord and power supply are cumbersome and add extra weight to the whole kit. Unless you have a mobile power source like an RV or trailer, you may be hard-pressed to find an outlet when out in nature. 

Not included in the kit is a 16-foot-long USB-C power cable, which you’ll have to buy from Starlink separately. It requires a 100W (20V/5A) power source, so when shopping around for a portable power source, make sure it meets that requirement. 

I used the Anker 737 Power Bank for the majority of my testing. It was more than enough to power the dish fully and would last about three hours when actively using it with the Mini. When shopping around for a portable power bank, ones that are rated for at least 100W typically cost between $60 and $200. You should look for power banks that are specifically meant to charge laptops rather than just small devices. Different power banks have different capacities, so I would go with one like my Anker, which gives me decent online time. I also recommend getting a power bank that displays power stats, including how much battery time is left.

Other accessories to consider include the Mini Car Adaptor from Starlink, allowing you to plug your dish into your car’s 12 to 24V auxiliary outlet (a.k.a. the cigarette lighter). It’s perfect for long road trips and also comes with the essential USB-C power cable, but it’s an extra $45. 

Other accessories sold by Starlink include mounting kits for your vehicle and a carrying case made to protect your Mini dish. These are for specific use cases, but my laptop backpack was enough to carry everything. In my vehicle, it was easy enough to secure it to my dashboard with some removable adhesive strips.

The Starlink Mini is a powerful tool in a small package that I thoroughly enjoyed testing—an excellent solution for internet on the go that’s easy to use. The barrier to entry I can foresee for most people is the high price tag. That price tag gets even higher when taking into consideration multiple accessories that I would say are essential to have with the Mini.