Starlink introduced a Personal Maritime service option on 27 August 2026, reopening questions about which terminal belongs aboard. The option is intended for small personal vessels; its terms exclude yachts over 40 feet and commercial operation. It is therefore unsuitable for superyachts and commercial yachts. Terminal hardware and service entitlement require separate approval.
The hardware comparison is Performance Gen 3 against Performance Gen 2, formerly sold as Flat High Performance. Both are fixed, electronically steered flat-panel antennas. The names do not refer to the Gen 3 router or to satellite generations in the Starlink constellation.
Hardware comparison
| Specification | Performance Gen 2 / Flat High Performance | Performance Gen 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal dimensions | 575 x 511 x 41 mm | 609 x 396 x 40 mm |
| Terminal mass | 5.9 kg without cable; 8.1 kg with 25 m cable | 5.2 kg |
| Packaged kit mass | 16.25 kg | 11.8 kg |
| Field of view | 140 degrees | 140 degrees |
| Environmental rating | IP56 | IP69K with cables installed; IP68 without cables |
| Operating temperature | -30 C to +50 C | -40 C to +60 C |
| Wind survivability | 280 km/h or higher | 280 km/h or higher |
| Snow melt | Up to 75 mm/hour | Up to 85 mm/hour |
| Average power in product sheet | 110-150 W | 75-100 W |
| Power-supply input | 100-240 VAC | 100-240 VAC or nominal 12-56 VDC |
| Manufacturer peak throughput | 450/60 Mbps down/up | 475/75 Mbps down/up |
| Warranty | 2 years | 3 years |
Gen 3 is 34 mm longer and 115 mm narrower. Its rectangular mounting footprint is about 18 per cent smaller, the terminal is 0.7 kg lighter and the complete kit is roughly 27 per cent lighter. The changed proportions mean an existing bracket should not be assumed to fit.
Starlink's comparison page gives average power at about 110 W for Gen 2 and 70 W for Gen 3, while the product sheets publish 110-150 W and 75-100 W. Use current installation documents and measured or worst-case loads for breaker, UPS and DC-converter sizing.
The quoted throughput changes from a peak 450/60 Mbps to 475/75 Mbps. Those are manufacturer peak figures, not expected vessel speeds. Plan entitlement, cell loading, blockage, weather and location all affect the service delivered onboard.
Direct DC input is Gen 3's most useful change for many marine installations. Its Advanced Power Supply accepts 100-240 VAC or nominal 12-56 VDC. On a yacht with a suitable DC distribution system, that can remove an inverter stage from the Starlink power path.
The DC design still needs proper engineering. Starlink qualifies the supply over 10.5-57 V in its durability guide and recommends operating above 20 V where possible. At lower voltage the supply can limit output to remain below 20 A, with throttling possible under high-power conditions. Cable length, conductor size, voltage drop, fault protection and isolation therefore have to be calculated together.
Gen 2's documented supply is 100-240 VAC only. Where the vessel starts with DC, Starlink's installation guidance calls for a suitable pure-sine inverter. Its power supply also dissipates about 20 W and requires ventilation. A yacht with a well-proven AC UPS arrangement may have no operational reason to change that architecture. Gen 3 makes a stronger case when the planned installation is direct DC or the available power margin is tight.
Gen 2 uses Starlink's proprietary High Performance connector system, with 2 m, 8 m and 25 m cable options listed in the current comparison. Gen 3 adds 5 m, 25 m and 50 m options and field-terminable RJ45-style cabling. That flexibility helps when a fixed connector will not pass through an existing gland or conduit. Ordinary unshielded patch cable remains unsuitable; cable construction, shielding, termination and weather sealing are part of the specified system.
Both panels still need an obstruction survey. Starlink's marine guidance calls for a clear view above roughly 20 degrees around the horizon. Survey masts, radars, domes, exhaust structures, tenders and deck equipment through the vessel's normal movement. Mount angle, runoff, cable bend radius, penetrations, connector orientation, earthing or bonding, PSU ventilation and maintenance access belong in the installation drawing.
Gen 3 carries the stronger published environmental specification. The change from IP56 to IP69K with cables fitted, the wider -40 C to +60 C operating range and the higher snow-melt figure are relevant to exposed mounts. Starlink's durability guide records 3,000 hours of ASTM B117 salt-fog testing and 400 hours of ASTM G85 A3 cyclic acidified salt-spray testing.
Those laboratory durations are qualification evidence rather than a forecast of years at sea. Salt, UV, washdown, mounting and maintenance still shape service life. Starlink also states a ten-year minimum mission-life design target for Gen 3, supported by accelerated testing. Its product warranty is three years.
Starlink continues to list Performance Gen 2 and Gen 3 for marine in-motion use, subject to the service plan, region and regulatory permissions. Gen 2 has not become unusable simply because the newer version exists.
A new build, a direct-DC supply requirement, severe environmental exposure, constrained power or a difficult cable route can all justify Gen 3. The modest change in peak throughput is weak justification on its own. Before replacing a working Gen 2 installation, record actual service performance and inspect the panel, mount, cable, connectors, PSU ventilation, power quality and obstruction environment. If the installation is sound and meets the yacht's operating requirement, you can maybe hold off until gen 4 or 5 comes out.