5 hours ago
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Stargear 3-in-1 Cable for Starlink Mini
ZDNET's key takeaways
- The perfect way to power your Starlink Mini, no matter the source!
- You can use the stock power supply, a 12V car supply, and USB-C power
- There's a built-in digital display that also incorporates a handy power switch.
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The Starlink Mini is an excellent piece of equipment, and it has performed far beyond my expectations. The hardware is second to none, and after many months of heavy use, being dragged around the world and left out in the rain, snow, frost, and burning sun, the dish still looks and functions like new. The only thing I needed to change was how it was powered.
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The kit assumes you'll be using a mains outlet, but in off-grid situations, mains outlets are either scarce or, when connected to a portable power station, not the most efficient way to use the limited power available.
I like to have options
Thankfully, there are plenty of accessories out there that let me power my Starlink Mini using USB-C, and there are also power banks specifically designed for the dish.
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But these involve carrying around a bunch of cables. What I wanted was one cable to rule them all -- and now, thanks to the Stargear 3-in-1 USB-C/Car Adapter/DC to DC cable, I have that.
On one end of the cable is the standard weatherproof DC jack that goes into the Starlink Mini dish. This fits perfectly into the port on the dish and creates a weatherproof seal.
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On the other end is a trifecta of connectors that offer the greatest possible flexibility when it comes to powering the dish. There's the standard DC jack that fits into the official Starlink AC outlet, as well as other third-party accessories that make use of 12V-30V DC power, such as power banks. This means that if you are powering the cable the way SpaceX intended, you can do it.
The specs.
Alongside this DC jack is a USB-C connector capable of handling up to 140W (20V/28V DC) of power. According to SpaceX specifications, a minimum of 100W is required for stable and reliable operation under any weather conditions. However, in my experience, you might get away with using a 60W output, but be sure to test in advance, as not all power sources will work, and those that do might still be unstable.
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The third connector is a 12V--24V car adapter, making it an ideal way to power the dish in vehicles, especially trucks and RVs. It's also great for portable power stations because many of these have 12V outlets.
This cable has a smart digital display and a handy on/off switch.
There's more to this cable
There's also a digital voltage display that shows the power draw of the dish, which is a neat feature, but what I like even more is the on/off button that allows you to reboot the dish without unplugging it or turning off the supply. The chances of accidentally turning off your dish mid-important download or video stream are eliminated because you have to press and hold the button to switch it off.
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The connectors also come with rubber protectors that I suggest you keep. Unfortunately, they aren't attached to the cable in any way, so you'll have to be careful if you want to keep them. Fortunately, the cable comes with a padded carry case so you can keep both the cable and the ends tidy when you're on your adventures.
The protectors are handy for keeping dirt and dust out of the various connectors.
The cable is 10 ft/3m long, and all the cabling is made from thick, heavy-duty 16AWG wire, so it's tangle-free, weather-resistant to IP54 (protection against limited dust ingress, water splashing, and rain), and it has no problems handling the demands of the Starlink Mini dish for hours or even days on end.
The carry case is handy to keep everything tidy.
ZDNET's buying advice
I've used the Stargear 3-in-1 cable to power my Starlink Mini dish for days from a variety of power sources, and I've had no problems with it whatsoever. It's a perfect replacement for the supplied cable, and it offers a great deal of flexibility to power the dish from a variety of sources, both at home and abroad, during a blackout or emergency, or when camping or working off-grid.
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For $40, this is a fantastic upgrade for those who need to use their Starlink Mini dishes when away from an AC outlet.
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