The main difference between the Starlink Router Mini and the Gen 3 Router is performance — especially in households with heavy internet use.

The Router Mini is a great fit for smaller spaces, homes with more basic WiFi needs, or to cover dead spots within a home. It works well in most basic residential setups and is a good option for extending coverage. However, in homes where rooms have multiple barriers between them (mirrors, multiple walls, brick or stone walls), you may notice a drop in performance unless you use wired connections.

The Gen 3 Router is the better choice for households with multiple people working, streaming, or gaming at home, or for multi-unit properties and homes with more than one building. It’s built to handle more devices and heavier usage by having three separate bands for data transmission and a dedicated backhaul, which helps it manage traffic between devices more efficiently when using multiple routers. This means a stronger, more reliable connection throughout your home.

Choosing between the Router Mini and Gen 3 comes down to your space and how you use the internet. If you need simple, reliable WiFi and want to keep costs down, the Router Mini is a solid option. But if you’re looking for stronger, more consistent performance across a larger or busier home, the Gen 3 Router is the way to go.