SpaceX has begun offering its new Starlink V5 residential satellite dish in selected areas, with wider availability expected as production increases. The main change is a smaller, lighter and more energy-efficient design, which could make installation easier and reduce running costs for home users. The update matters because Starlink is still expanding globally, and new hardware can affect both performance expectations and the overall cost and practicality of using the service.

Compared with the older V4 dish, the V5 is much more compact at 384 x 306 x 34 mm versus 594 x 383 x 39.7 mm, and its weight drops from 2.9 kg to 1.1 kg. Average power consumption is also lower, at 35 to 50W instead of 75 to 100W, although quoted peak download speeds fall slightly from 400+ Mbps to 375+ Mbps. SpaceX says actual speeds will still depend on the user’s plan, network capacity, local congestion and time of day, and notes that the V5 is not designed for use while moving.