Musk Solves the Starlink Mini Power Problem

The Starlink Mini is an incredible device—it weighs less than a laptop and fits easily into a commuter backpack. Until now, its biggest flaw was that it required a two-prong electrical outlet.

Over Labor Day weekend 2024, Elon Musk’s space internet company released a solution available only in the Starlink store. For $31, the company is offering a USB-C power cord that connects the Mini dish to certain portable power banks.

How big is the new Starlink Mini cable?

The new cable is five meters (about 15 feet) long and weighs in at 0.66 pounds. That’s quite a bit of cable if you’re taking the Mini backpacking, but it’s about right if you’re boondocking in an RV or camper van.

In comparison, the standard cable for the Starlink Mini is 15 meters (45 feet) long.

With either cable, the kit weighs in at about four pounds, and it’s suitable for use in most weather situations.

What other power solutions exist for the Mini?

The Starlink cable offering comes on the heels of several similar solutions from third-party companies, such as this 9.8-foot cable or this 6.6-foot cable. Both require a power supply of at least 20 volts, and both are cheaper than Starlink’s option.

The new USB-C cable from Starlink also requires a power bank of 100 watts (20V/5A) such as this one from Anker. Broadly speaking, that means you’ll need a power bank suitable for charging a laptop, not one marketed for cell phones and tablets.

Alternatively, you can power the Mini with virtually any large battery or generator, such as one you might have in your RV. And of course, you can plug it into the wall if you happen to be using it near a building.

Powering the Mini in the real world

I took the Mini home to test it in the real world, and luckily enough, I experienced a power outage the next morning. I noticed the dish took several minutes to reorient every time I connected the combined receiver/router to a new power source. In the meantime, I suffered through signal drops and download speeds of 15 to 20Mbps.

I tested the Starlink Mini out in the wilderness, too, but I had to zip tie it to a headrest in the back seat of my Corolla and connect it to an Eco FLow portable battery I borrowed from a coworker.

The receiver worked well on the highways and back roads as long as the power source was stable—but there was no chance I was carrying that bulky power bank further than the distance between a parking spot and a picnic table.

Fortunately, the dish required only about 27 watts of power. That’s less than a standard old-school light bulb, and it meant I could have relied on an Eco Flow for many days at a time.

Can you plug the new cable into your car?

The new cable might work in your car, but it’s not guaranteed. Most cigarette lighters and outlets provide an output of 180 watts (15 amps), which is technically sufficient, but there’s a lot of variation.

Can you use the new cable to charge your cell phone?

No, the new cable is not suitable for charging cell phones, according to Starlink’s ordering page.

Musk also updates the Starlink App

A few weeks before Starlink offered its new cable to active customers, the company made updates to the Starlink app that ​​adds the ability for the dish to measure its own power draw.

It’s a nice feature, especially if you have the standard dish mounted to an RV or camper van. It’s also going to be great for the Mini, especially if you’re connecting it to a small, lightweight power bank like that Anker we listed above.

We haven’t yet tested the new cable ourselves, but watch this space for updates!

Disclaimers