My Starlink Mini has fundamentally changed the way I live. This is the biggest reason I can work remotely from my converted van, providing fast and reliable internet in places where traditional 4G and 5G data signals don’t reach. Peakdo’s latest LinkPower battery takes the smallest Starlink terminal even further by keeping it free from power cords for hours.
Although it may not seem like a big deal, I can assure you that it is a big deal. For example, I can park in the shade and point the Mini away to avoid trees and other obstacles, as long as I’m within reach of its Wi-Fi signal. It even works on my dashboard without the interruption of long cables, providing reliable data to navigate remote mountain passes while my wife works in the passenger seat.
I’ve been testing Peakado’s second-generation LinkPower 2 battery for the past few weeks as I’ve been traveling around the Pyrenees mountain range on the border of France and Spain. The $219 price tag — up from $119 for last year’s model — is annoying, but I can see many Starlink Mini owners paying that premium, too.
Good
- Provides over 5 hours untethered Starlink Mini internet
- Powers Starlink while recharging for indefinite use
- New Magnetic Breakaway Charging Dongle
- Simplifies Starlink placement without disrupting long cables
bad
- 99Wh power bank is expensive
- Janaki Web App
Like its predecessor, the LinkPower 2 battery is located right on the back of the Starlink Mini, like a standard SpaceX mount. The connection is solid, but I wouldn’t trust it without a cage if you plan on using it on the roof of your moving vehicle. Peakdo offers a compatible suction mount if you so desire.
A short DC-to-DC barrel cable connects the 99Wh battery to the Starlink Mini for truly wireless Internet connectivity. The unit is the same size as the original and can still be controlled remotely over Bluetooth with a web app (iPhone users will have to download a special app).
In addition to USB-C, the LinkPower 2 adds a native DC barrel input that matches the Starlink Mini’s power port. It allows you to charge the battery using the power cable that comes with the Starlink dish. It can also be charged with a new breakaway magnetic dongle included in the box, which can protect your Starlink Mini from a disastrous drop if the charging cable accidentally gets stuck.
A new battery bypass mode allows you to power the Starlink Mini directly when you plug the LinkPower 2 into a power source. This reduces battery wear and helps keep temperatures down without you needing to disassemble the battery every time.
During my testing I got about 5 hours and 30 minutes of continuous runtime from a fully charged LinkPower 2. That’s an hour more than the original LinkPower I tested last year. And leaving the LinkPower battery – either first or second generation – attached to the Starlink Mini offers far more options for keeping the dish powered indefinitely, including the USB jack installed in your vehicle, an old power bank, or even a solar panel.
For example, on a sunny day I was able to extend the Starlink Mini’s runtime to more than seven hours by adding a small folding solar panel, which produced a steady 7.3W into the LinkPower 2’s USB-C input. My Starlink Mini draws an average of about 18W of power in rural locations, and the USB-C jack installed in my van produces a steady 28W, easily offsetting this when placed on my dashboard.
Without the LinkPower battery attached, the Starlink Mini must be plugged into an AC jack or a power bank with a 100W (20V/5A) capacity as “the Starlink Mini will not operate with a USB PD rating of 65W or less.”
By default, the LinkPower 2 battery charges a maximum of 65W when charged over USB-C, which takes about an hour and forty minutes to fully recharge. If you want to increase charging speed while potentially reducing battery lifespan, you can also set the maximum charge rate to 100W in Expert mode. USB-C charging is the fastest, followed by a 57W charge over the DC barrel jack, and a 55W charge over the magnetic dongle. In a pinch, that bidirectional USB-C jack lets the LinkPower 2 act as a traditional power bank, charging your phone or laptop at up to 65W.
PeakDo claims to have an IP65 rating against dust and water ingress. This means it should withstand a rain shower when stationary, but not when mounted on the roof of a moving car. The rating also does not apply if the charging cables expose the ports of the unit.
1/12
I like this battery so much that I’ve left the LinkPower 2 connected to my Starlink Mini for the past few weeks, even when I’m bypassing it with external power. The power bank adds an additional 667 grams (1.47 pounds) to the 1.1 kilogram (2.43 pound) Starlink Mini, making it feel solid, but not too heavy to handle with one hand. To make sure it wouldn’t blow off my roof, I also attached a magnet I bought from Amazon to the battery’s tripod mount – it probably wouldn’t, but if it did I’d be in a world of trouble without my Starlink connection.
When I reviewed the original LinkPower last summer, it cost $119, so the jump to $219 for the LinkPower 2 is certainly worrying, especially when the coveted 99Wh power bank with 100W USB-C PD output costs less than half that. The original LinkPower 1 is still available, only now it costs $159. I recommend buying the cheaper version unless you really need the extra hour of battery life, a breakaway charging dongle, or the battery bypass feature available on the LinkPower 2.
Photography by Thomas Ricker/The Verge
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