In April 2024, the new generation 3 dishes were introduced in New Zealand, replacing the gen 2 models. Here’s a summary of the differences:

Advantages:

• Significant improvement in WiFi coverage, particularly beneficial for devices supporting the WiFi 6 standard.
• Ethernet port on the router, simplifying connections to third-party mesh systems without requiring an additional “Ethernet Adapter” as with gen 2 systems.
• More compact, foldable design for better portability.

Disadvantages:

• Requires purchasing a roof mount directly from Starlink, whereas previously, third-party mounts were more commonly used.
• Slightly increased power consumption, estimated to add around $25 annually to power bills.  Mobile users may be more concerned.
• There are no motors for automatic alignment. However, manual alignment is straightforward. Arguably the absence of a motor is advantageous as it reduces the potential for technical issues.

Note that the gen 1 and gen 2 dishes are still supported.