Starlink Mini 2: What's New, Price, Specs and What We Don't Know Yet

The original Starlink Mini has no battery. It has to be plugged into something the whole time it's on.

The Mini 2 has a 71 watt-hour battery that clicks into the back. Starlink says it runs up to 4.5 hours on one charge.

• You can swap it. Pop the battery out and click in a spare to keep going.
• It can fly with you. The FAA lets you carry lithium batteries up to 100 Wh in a carry-on bag without airline approval. At 71 Wh, the Mini 2 battery is well under that limit. That also leaves room for a bigger battery some day. A 99 Wh battery would still fly, and it could run a lot longer.
• It can charge your phone. Starlink lists the battery's USB-C port at up to 60 W in and out. So it should charge your phone, and maybe a laptop. We'll check when ours shows up.
• It keeps running while it charges. Starlink says you can stay online while the battery charges. Spare batteries are sold separately.

Starlink says "up to" 4.5 hours. Real use may be less. But the math is still interesting.

1. 1

   71 watt-hours over 4.5 hours is about 16 watts.

   That's the average power the Mini 2 would use to hit that number.

2. 2

   The original Mini usually runs closer to 20 watts.

   Starlink rates it at 25 to 40 watts. In our testing it usually runs closer to 20. That's how a 99 Wh battery gets about 5 hours on the original Mini.

3. 3

   So the Mini 2 may use a lot less power.

   If Starlink's 4.5-hour number is as cautious as its number for the original, the Mini 2 could be a lot more efficient. And that 16 watts may not be an idle number. Starlink may have tested it under real use. We won't know until we test one.

How long does the original run on a battery? See how long a Starlink Mini runs on a battery.

The original Mini uses a round barrel plug. To run it off USB-C, you need Starlink's adapter cable and a 100 W charger.

The Mini 2 has a USB-C port right on the dish. It charges and runs at 60 W. Starlink puts a 60 W USB-C charger and a 10 ft (3 m) USB-C cable in the box.

The original Mini has no power button. It turns on the second it gets power. That's why so many Minis wired into a truck come on when you start it.

The Mini 2 has a real power button. Small LED lights show the battery level.

The original Mini is about 10 by 12 inches and about 1.5 inches thick. The Mini 2 is a little bigger across, but it's under an inch thick. That makes it about half an inch thinner.

With the battery and kickstand on, the Mini 2 weighs about 3.5 pounds. Take the battery out and it's about the same weight as the original.

The original Mini has Wi-Fi 5 and covers up to 1,200 square feet. The Mini 2 has Wi-Fi 6 and covers up to 1,800 square feet.

Right under the kickstand, there's a threaded hole. Starlink lists it as a standard 1/4"-20 camera thread, the same one on the bottom of a camera.

So you can set a Mini 2 on a regular camera tripod. If you camp, or just want it off the ground, you shouldn't need anything special.

The kickstand also looks like it comes off, just like on the original. We don't know why yet. Maybe Starlink has accessories planned.

Both dishes are rated IP67, so they're sealed against dust and rain. Starlink says the Mini 2 also uses tougher materials and a redesigned body. And it gets you online in about 60 seconds.

Preorders are open by invitation for select U.S. customers right now. Starlink says it's coming soon to more customers and countries, but it hasn't posted a release date for open orders. So most people will have to wait a bit.

• $999 preorder (reported). Preorder invites reported so far list $999. That includes a full year of Roam Unlimited.
• $249 for the hardware alone (not confirmed). One report lists this price. Starlink hasn't confirmed it.
• The original Mini, for context. It launched at $599. It sells for $149 now.

We wouldn't be surprised to see the Mini 2 under $200 down the road. That's a guess, not a fact. We'll update this post when Starlink posts a real price.

Not sure which plan you need? See which Starlink plan to buy.

We'd rather tell you straight than guess. Veritas was one of the first to snag a Mini 2 preorder, and we'll test all of this the day it shows up. Until then, we haven't seen real numbers on:

• Real-world speeds
• How well it does in motion (Starlink lists mobile use for both Minis)
• How the battery holds up in the cold
• Whether it turns on by itself with your vehicle

Curious how the original Mini does on the road? See whether the Starlink Mini works while driving.

It depends on how you use your Mini.

• You already have a Mini, set up the way you like. You don't need to rush. Your Mini doesn't stop working because a new one came out. Wait for the real price and real tests.
• You skipped the Mini because you didn't want a separate battery. The Mini 2 is probably the one you've been waiting for. If you get an invite, we'd take it.
• You mostly use it in a vehicle, plugged in all the time. The built-in battery probably matters less to you.

Your Starlink Mini is how you stay connected to family and get work done on the road. You want to grab it and go, and you want it protected. That's what we build for.

Our Starlink Mini Mount is basically an OtterBox for your Starlink Mini. We've specialized in Starlink gear for over two years, and Veritas is an Authorized Starlink Enterprise Integrator.

• A Mini 2 mount. The Mini 2 is a different size, so we're working on a mount just for it. Since the dish is thinner, we might be able to make the mount thinner and lighter, out of the same tough HDPE. Nothing's confirmed yet. If your Mini 2 will only ever sit on a tripod or a table, you won't need one.
• Power in your vehicle. A lot of you have our power cables wired into your vehicles, and those use the barrel plug. The Mini 2 runs on USB-C. So we're thinking about a barrel-to-USB-C adapter, so you could keep the cabling you already have. That's an idea for now, not a product.
• Batteries. Our 5-Hour Battery was built for the original Mini, so it's really for original Mini owners. Our 45-Hour Battery still makes sense for the Mini 2. And if the Mini 2 really does use less power, it might run even longer than 45 hours. We'll test it and let you know.

Own the original Mini? See our Starlink Mini Mount.