SpaceX officially unveiled the Starlink V5 residential kit on July 14, 2026. It's a meaningful upgrade over the V4 we currently install: nearly half the weight, a third of the power draw, and peak speeds that cross 375 Mbps. We've started getting "should I wait?" questions from customers in Cebu, Bohol, and Leyte, so here's the side-by-side and what the V5 actually changes for the installs we do.
V5 vs V4: the spec sheet
| Spec | Starlink V4 (current) | Starlink V5 (new) |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | Standard kickstand form | 384 x 306 x 34 mm (much thinner) |
| Weight | 2.9 kg (6.4 lbs) | 1.1 kg (2.4 lbs) |
| Peak download | 220 Mbps | 375+ Mbps |
| Power draw | 75–100 W | 35–50 W |
| Weather resistance | IP67 Type 4 | IP67 Type 4 |
| Router | Gen 2 / Gen 3 router | Wi-Fi 6 Router Mini |
| Router coverage | ~1,800 sq ft | ~2,200 sq ft |
| Devices supported | ~100 typical | Up to 235 |
| Setup indicator | Standard LED | Integrated setup LED |
| Availability in PH | Available now | Coming soon (no confirmed local date) |
The headline numbers are the weight and the power. The throughput is impressive but the V4 already covers the typical home use case in the Visayas; the weight and power are what change the install calculus.
What actually changes for Visayas customers
The marketing copy talks about speed. For most homes in our service area, what actually matters is the install — where the dish can go, what it can sit on, and how much juice it pulls. Three changes from the V5 matter for our customers specifically.
1. The 1.1 kg dish unlocks a lot of mount points
The V4 weighs 2.9 kg plus a kickstand. On the typhoon-rated installs we do across the Visayas, that weight plus the bracket hardware has historically pushed some properties toward a tripod base or a heavier wall bracket — especially on older concrete roofs in inner Cebu City and on the heritage buildings in Carcar. At 1.1 kg, the V5 sits comfortably on lighter brackets, including the pipe-adapter mount that ships with the new kit. For highland barangays above 800m where wind loading is high, a lighter dish means we can use a less invasive mount without compromising typhoon rating.
For resort customers, the smaller form factor (34mm thick vs the V4's chunkier kickstand) also matters aesthetically. Several Lapu-Lapu and Panglao properties we work with have asked us to keep the dish out of guest sightlines as much as possible — the V5's profile is easier to hide on a roof edge or behind a parapet.
2. The 35–50W draw finally makes solar viable
This is the upgrade we've been waiting for. Today, a V4 install on solar needs roughly 100W of panel headroom plus a 1kWh battery buffer to ride out clouds and overnight draw. That's a serious solar package — the kind of money that only made sense for remote farms and offshore setups.
The V5's 35–50W draw roughly halves the solar requirement. A modest 200W panel plus a small lithium battery can run a V5 continuously in our climate. That opens up real off-grid installs: remote barangay halls, farm operations outside the franchise area of any distribution utility, island resorts that have been running on generator-backed internet.
If you're in a part of north Cebu, Bohol interior, or Western Samar where brownouts are routine, the V5 + small UPS + small solar package is the first combination that genuinely works as a primary install rather than as a backup.
3. The Wi-Fi 6 Router Mini is a real upgrade for larger properties
The new router covers ~2,200 sq ft and handles up to 235 devices simultaneously. For most Metro Cebu homes this is overkill — the V4's router covers a typical residential lot. But for resort installs and multi-building properties in Mactan, Bohol, and the smaller islands, the wider coverage and higher device count is a genuine install simplification. Several properties we work with currently need a mesh extension just to get reliable coverage in staff quarters; the V5's router is the first time a single router can cover a typical resort without mesh.
What's the same
Three things haven't changed, and they're worth being clear about:
- Weather resistance. Both V4 and V5 are IP67 Type 4 rated. Both survive Visayas typhoon season on a properly engineered mount. Our typhoon-rated install standards apply to either.
- Subscription pricing. Pricing is set by Starlink, not by us, and applies to the kit. The V5 will go on the same monthly plans as the V4 — there's no premium subscription tier.
- The cable and connector spec. The V5 ships with the same-generation cable as the V4. If you're upgrading an existing V4 install to a V5 dish in the future, the cable run is likely reusable, which keeps the swap cost down.
When will the V5 be available in the Philippines?
Honestly — we don't have a confirmed local launch date yet. The V5 was just announced globally on July 14, 2026, and Philippines NTC type-approval plus local distribution typically lag the US launch by a quarter or two. We expect the V5 to be orderable locally by late 2026 or early 2027, but we'd rather tell you that than promise a specific date and miss it.
If you want to be on the notification list the day stock lands, use the Notify Me button on the V5 product card. We'll reach out as soon as we have confirmed pricing and ETA.
Should you wait for the V5, or install a V4 now?
Most customers we talk to are in one of three situations:
You need connectivity in the next 2-3 months and the V4 already meets your needs. Install the V4 now. The V4 is the proven dish, it's in stock today, and the install cost is the same. A working connection now is better than a marginally faster connection in six months. When the V5 lands, the V4 stays useful — most V5 launches in other countries have not triggered widespread V4 trade-ins because the V4 keeps working.
You have a specific reason to want the V5 — solar install, lightweight mount, very high device count. Get on the notify list. We'll share the local pricing and ETA the day it's confirmed. In the meantime, the right call is usually to plan the install site (mount point, cable run, solar sizing) so the V5 swap is fast when stock arrives.
You're in a resort or business context where the Wi-Fi 6 Router Mini is the deciding factor. Book a consultation. We can spec the V4 + mesh option today and pre-plan the V5 swap so the transition is a one-day hardware change rather than a re-install.
We're not pushing the V5 because it's not yet here. We're also not steering customers away from it when the upgrade genuinely fits. The right call depends on the timeline and the install context, and we walk through both in every ocular visit.
Get on the V5 list
If the V5 is the right kit for you, the fastest way to get on the notification list is the Notify Me button on the V5 product card. If you want to talk it through before deciding — V4 now vs V5 later, solar sizing, resort mesh design — message us through the chat widget. We'll book a free ocular for Metro Cebu addresses and a flat-fee ocular for properties further out.