Starlink has several retail partners, like Best Buy and Costco, that sell Starlink hardware kits online and in store. Until today, Best Buy was not offering the latest generation “Standard” model. Only the 2nd generation models were listed on the website.
As the Gen 3 rollout continues, many people are looking to get the latest and greatest hardware. If you are in the United States, and looking to get a Gen 3 dish, Best Buy is now offering the latest Starlink model on their website.
The price at Best Buy is $599.99, the same as you pay if you order directly from Starlink. The benefit of purchasing from an authorized retailer is the convenience and availability. On Starlink.com, only some US states offer the new Standard kit as an option for Residential service. Now, customers in any state will be able to order Gen 3, and activate it on a new Residential subscription, essentially bypassing the availability restriction from Starlink.
Starlink kits purchased from authorized retailers arrive inactive, without a subscription. To start service, you have to activate the kit using the Starlink website or app. You can start a subscription on a new or existing Starlink account.
See also: Gen 2 vs Gen 3
At this time, it doesn’t appear that Best Buy is offering any accessories for Gen 3 yet. They carry some Gen 2 accessories, like replacement cables and mounts. The good news is that you can use aftermarket Ethernet cables with Gen 3, allowing you to extend the dish cable without buying the longer cable from Starlink.
There is no word yet on when Starlink will expand Gen 3 access outside of the US. Right now, the Standard kit is available for all US customers on the Roam and Business plans, and in some states for Residential. Gen 3 isn’t available outside of the US, though. The Starlink website states:
“The Starlink Standard Kit will become available to additional service plans and markets over time. However, we do not have estimated dates to provide at this time. Stay tuned for updates on the wider release of the Starlink Standard Kit and other products!”
Starlink Support Website
Other retailers, like Home Depot and Costco, have joined Best Buy in offering Starlink kits and replacement parts. When local retailers carry Starlink accessories, it makes repairs and troubleshooting much more convenient. It also opens the door to extended service plans, easy returns, and savings on shipping costs.
I have seen that the Starlink Gen 4 dish is now available. Did they just rename the Gen 3?
It’s a bit confusing because the newest dish is technically V4. But Starlink released the router first, calling it the Gen 3 router. So everyone assumed the new dish was the Gen 3 dish. The name stuck, and makes more sense than V4 in my opinion. There was the original round dish, which had 2 minor variants, V1 and V2. The rectangle dish is V3, and the newest is V4. Most people consider both round versions Gen 1, rectangle Gen 2, and the new one Gen 3.
Thanks, Noah.
Makes sense, but still very confusing.
Jun