The Flat High Performance dish is part of the 2nd generation of Starlink hardware. Compared to the Standard dish, it’s larger, more powerful, and has a wider field of view. It’s the default hardware supplied with the Business, Maritime, and Mobility service plans.
If you are needing the most powerful Starlink dish for a business, or for recreational in-motion use, the Flat High Performance kit might be the way to go. This article will cover the features and specifications of the Flat High Performance kit. I will explain the differences between the Standard and Flat High Performance dishes. Finally, I’ll go over the recommended service plans, mounting options, and also answer some commonly asked questions.
Table of Contents
Price
The Flat High Performance hardware kit costs $2,500, which is more than 4x the cost of the Standard hardware. The Flat High Performance hardware is the default option for the Business, Maritime, and Mobility service plans. It’s mainly aimed at businesses and other organizations that need the highest performance equipment available.
Features and specs
The Flat High Performance dish was designed for in-motion use. Compared to other Starlink models, it is flat mounted, without a mast or motors. Because it doesn’t have motors to aim itself in the direction of Starlink satellites, the Flat High Performance antenna has a much wider 140 degree field of view (FOV). The increased FOV allows the dish to detect and track more satellites than the 100 degree FOV of the Standard dish.
The power supply, cables, and connections are also different compared to the Standard kit. The Flat High Performance dish uses a separate power supply that is capable of delivering 150+ watts to the dish. The increased power helps the signal pass through weather and obstructions. More power also means the dish is capable of higher speeds, although Starlink speeds are mainly dependent on location and service plan.
Another difference from the Standard dish is Ethernet connectivity. The Flat High Performance kit includes an RJ45 Ethernet cable that allows you to directly connect Starlink to your own router or network gear. Since it also uses a separate power supply, you can avoid using the Starlink Wifi router completely. With the Standard equipment, the power supply for the dish is integrated in the Starlink Wifi router, and the optional Ethernet Adapter is required to get an Ethernet LAN port.
Here are some additional specs and features of the Flat High Performance dish:
- Fixed, electronic phased array antenna
- IP56 rated
- Approved for in-motion use
- Operating temperature range from -22°F to 122°F (-30°C to 50°C)
- 140 degree field of view
- AC power supply with typical usage of 110-150 watts
- Wind rating of 174 mph (280 kph)
- Dimensions – 20.1″ W x 22.6″ L x 1.6″ H (511 mm x 575 mm x 41 mm)
What comes in the kit
The Flat High Performance hardware kit comes with everything you need to get online in minutes. Here are the components that come in the box:
- Flat High Performance dish
- Power supply (includes wall mount and AC power cable)
- Wifi router (includes wall mount and AC power cable)
- 26′ (8m) Starlink cable
- 16.5′ (5m) Ethernet cable
- 6.5′ (2m) router cable
- Wedge Mount
Additional accessories, including longer Starlink cable lengths, are available in the Starlink shop. The Flat High Performance dish is meant to be flat mounted using the included Wedge Mount, but additional mounting options are possible with the Flat High Performance Pipe Adapter.
Compatible Starlink service plans
Any Starlink hardware is compatible with any Starlink service plan. The Flat High Performance dish is the default hardware option for the commercial plans like Business and Maritime. But you can also upgrade to the Flat High Performance hardware when purchasing Starlink Roam or Residential.
The performance of your Starlink is mainly dependent on your location, obstructions, and service plan. Although the Flat High Performance doesn’t guarantee higher speeds, it will perform its best when used on the Business (for fixed locations) or Mobility/Maritime (portable) service plans.
For a better understanding of the various Starlink service plans and data types, check out this guide.
Is it worth upgrading?
If you are a Residential or Roam subscriber wanting a higher performing dish, upgrading to the Flat High Performance is one option to consider. The main benefit for Residential customers is the upgraded power supply that can handle rain, snow, and ice better than the Standard dish. With more power available, the Flat High Performance melts snow/ice faster, and will be more reliable during rain and other weather events.
For Roam users, upgrading to the Flat High Performance gives you more mounting options. If you have an RV or van, the included Wedge Mount allows you to permanently mount the dish to the top of your rig. Since it has a wider field of view, it can handle obstructions better than the Standard model.
In-Motion use
The Flat High Performance dish is the only model approved by Starlink for in-motion use. The Standard dish can technically be used in-motion, but doing so will void your warranty. With the Flat High Performance hardware, you don’t have to worry about that.
It is important to understand that in-motion use requires Mobile Priority data. The typical Standard or Mobile data used with the lower priced plans won’t allow even the Flat High Performance to be used in-motion. Thankfully, Starlink allows Roam users to opt-in to Mobile Priority data by the GB. That means you can continue using the budget friendly Roam plan, and just enable Mobile Priority on the fly when you need to use your Starlink in-motion.
DC power supply not available
Customers hoping for a DC power supply will be disappointed. The power supply that comes with the Flat High Performance kit runs on AC power only. The dish also uses substantially more power than the Standard dish, at about 110-150 watts on average, compared to 50-75 watts for the Standard model.
High Performance vs Flat High Performance
There are actually two versions of High Performance hardware. The Flat High Performance covered in this article is currently the only one available, but previously, Starlink offered the High Performance kit with the Business plan.
The only difference is the lack of motors. The antennas are the same, but the High Performance hardware has a traditional mounting base, and motors that align the dish to the best location. The Flat High Performance doesn’t have motors, and is designed to be flat mounted, with no need to aim or orient the dish yourself.
My guess is that Starlink decided to discontinue the High Performance because having motors to align the dish was not necessary with the wide 140 degree field of view. Rather than manufacture two different versions, they now offer just the Flat High Performance for their higher tier plans.
Final thoughts
For $2,500, the Flat High Performance dish won’t appeal to most people, compared to the Standard equipment. I can certainly see a use case for tour buses, high end RV’s, and other mobile applications that need the best equipment and performance.
This is the first dish available from Starlink to support in-motion use, so it will certainly be interesting to see the kinds of applications that customers come up with. The main issue, besides cost, is the lack of a DC power supply. Most in-motion applications run on DC battery power. To use the Flat High Performance hardware, you will need to use an inverter, which isn’t ideal in many cases.
How much is the monthly subscription for the Flat High Performance dish for in motion use
The Mobile Priority plan is $250/month in the US market. You can alternatively subscribe to the $150/month Roam plan, and buy in-motion data per GB by toggling it on only when you need it. You can “opt-in” to this in-motion data from the website account dashboard.