SpaceX is starting a limited trial of its new and compact Starlink Mini dish for select satellite Internet subscribers in the US.

The Starlink Mini kit price, however, is now higher than the Standard Kit. SpaceX is running a promo on the Starlink Standard Kit at Best Buy and other retailers, selling it for $499, while the Starlink Mini dish is offered at the usual $599 price.

Elon Musk said that Starlink Mini and its integrated Wi-Fi router will cost about half of what the current larger kit commands, so Starlink fans were hoping for a $299 price tag from the get-go.

Apparently, Starlink Mini may indeed cost $299 at some point, but only in regions "where connectivity has been unaffordable or completely unavailable."

For the current trial rollout in the US, Space X says that "in regions with high usage, where Starlink Mini places additional demand on the satellite network, we are offering a limited number of the Starlink Mini Kits to start for $599."

It remains to be seen if underserved areas in the US will get the lower price tag when the dish gets released to the public, as for now the invites that are going out have all been for $599 Starlink dishes.  SpaceX does lower the Mini's price blow a bit by offering a $30/month Mini Roam service on top of the existing subscriber's residential plan, though for only 50GB of data.

Moreover, SpaceX started giving $200 rebates on the already lowered $499 price of the Starlink kit in 28 states in the US last week. This effectively brings the price down to the proverbial $299 right now, but it won't apply to Starlink Mini trial kits in said regions, since the offer is only for new customers, not add-on services like Mini Roam.

Starlink Mini dish weight and dimensions

While those expecting a $299 Starlink Mini Kit might be disappointed by the trial's price point, the limited launch now makes all the important Starlink Mini specs official, as follows:

• Package Weight: 6.73 kg (14.83 lbs)
• Package Dimensions: 430 x 334 x 79 mm (16.92 x 13.14 x 3.11 in)
• Antenna: Electronic Phased Array
• Field of View: 110 °
• Orientation: Software Assisted Manual Orienting
• Weight: 1.10 kg (2.43 lb) 1.16 kg (2.56 lb) with Kickstand 1.53 kg (3.37 lb) with Kickstand & 15 m Cable
• Environmental Rating: IP67 Type 4 with DC Power Cable and Starlink Plug/Cable installed
• Operating Temperature: -30°C to 50°C (-22°F to 122°F)
• Wind Speed Operational: 96 kph+ (60 mph+)
• Snow Melt Capability: Up to 25mm / hour (1 in / hour)
• Power Consumption: Average: 25-40W
• Input Rating: 12-48V 60W
• USB PD Requirement: 100W, 20V/5A Minimum (with Starlink USB-C to Barrel Jack Cable Accessory)
• Wi-Fi Technology: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
• Generation: Wi-Fi 5
• Radio: Dual Band 3 x 3 MU-MIMO
• Ethernet Ports: 1 Latching Ethernet LAN port with Starlink Plug
• Coverage: Up to 112 m² (1,200 ft²) 

The compact Starlink Mini dish comes with an integrated router, but the Wi-Fi 5 specs differ from the rumors that it will support Wi-Fi 6 as its MediaTek router chips suggested.

In any case, the only mysteries around Starlink Mini were the price and the 3-pound weight, and SpaceX has now made both official, though invitation-only.