Starlink V5 is smaller, lighter, and uses half the power of its predecessor
SpaceX unveiled the Starlink V5 dish on July 14, 2026 — and the headline numbers are hard to ignore. The antenna is 35% smaller and 62% lighter than the V4 it replaces, tipping the scales at just 1.1 kg. For rural and off-grid users, the bigger news may be power draw: V5 averages 35–50W, roughly half of the V4's 75–100W, which makes running it on solar and battery storage a realistic option for the first time.
The hardware
Download speeds exceed 375 Mbps, matching or beating the V4 on performance while cutting energy use. Wind resistance jumps from 97 km/h on V4 to 265 km/h on V5 — a meaningful upgrade for exposed rooftop installs in the UK's coastal and upland areas. The dish keeps its 110-degree field of view, IP67 weatherproofing, and built-in snow-melt heater capable of clearing up to 40 mm of precipitation per hour.
Набір Starlink наступного покоління розроблено для забезпечення надійного високошвидкісного домашнього інтернету. Starlink V5 має менші розміри та легку конструкцію, а також вищу енергоефективність, ніж Starlink V4.
— Starlink (@Starlink) 14 липня 2026
Завдяки швидкості до 375+ Мбіт/с Starlink V5 забезпечує безперебійне підключення… pic.twitter.com/0dorU6n0oD
The included Router Mini supports Wi-Fi 6, dual Gigabit Ethernet, 2×2 MU-MIMO, and can handle up to 235 connected devices across a 204 m² footprint. V5 also works with existing Starlink Mesh gear — Gen 2, Gen 3, Router Mini, and Starlink Mini — so current subscribers won't need to replace their whole setup.
What's in the box with the updated terminal. Image: Starlink
Availability and competition
Orders are live now in select US areas via Starlink.com. No pricing for the V5 hardware has been announced publicly, and there is no confirmed launch date or pricing for the UK or any EU market, per Basenor. The V4 continues to ship where V5 stock isn't available.
That gap matters. Starlink already serves around 12 million customers globally, and as ISPreview UK notes, the smaller, wind-hardened dish is particularly well suited to British conditions. The V5's lower power draw also makes the economics of a solar-plus-battery setup far more viable for off-grid cabins and rural homes — a use case that's growing in the UK.
The competitive clock is ticking: Amazon's Project Kuiper (Leo) is targeting a Q1 2026 rollout in France and Germany, which puts pressure on SpaceX to get V5 into international markets quickly. For now, UK and EU buyers wait — and the V5's upgrade path for existing V4 owners remains unconfirmed.
