Gaming is being hurt by cryptocurrency mining, which has driven up GPU prices. If you are determined to explore the cryptocurrency mines, it is essential to know what you are getting into.
We don’t recommend this. If you are serious about mining Bitcoin, Ethereum, or any other cryptocurrency, you don’t need to be intimidated. A simple weekend project can help you understand how blockchain technology works and the limitations of at-home hashing.
Be aware of the potential risks. You should also be aware of the risks. Cryptocurrency can be volatile, and you may not get your money back as quickly as you think. It’s possible to lose your entire investment. However, keep in mind that every GPU that is sent to the mines could have been used for PUBG.
The hardware component of bitcoin is straightforward, even though it relies on financial philosophy. The rest of the layout of a mining rig is quite simple, despite their reputation for consuming GPUs. You won’t need a powerful CPU, an exotic motherboard, DRAM, or the Windows OS to put it together. You may have most of your garage or closet components, leftovers from a previous gaming rig upgrade. Here’s an overview of what you will need and why.
Firm foundations (Mine cryptocurrency)
The primary enclosure that houses the motherboard and other components of a mining rig is an open-frame enclosure. There are many pre-built options, but they may be more expensive than gaming cases. This is because suppliers have a long-standing tradition of charging a premium for mining hardware.
There are often many options available for less than $100. You can also make your own from parts you find at the hardware store, as the designs aren’t too complicated. Open-air frames are designed to provide ventilation and ample space for GPUs. It’s essential to make sure that all the GPUs can breathe freely, as many rigs have a large number of full-sized graphics card units.
It is easier to check for faulty fans, replace damaged cards, clean dust, and do other essential maintenance when all the components are within easy reach. Exposure and noise are the downsides. A separate room with good ventilation is recommended. Exposed features and fan noise are not compatible with other products.
Motherboard
Since the goal is to attach as many GPUs as possible, flexibility and stability are more important than performance when mining motherboards are designed. The most recent gaming motherboards made by top-tier manufacturers such as Gigabyte, MSI, or Asus will be sufficient. However, you should consult the documentation to determine how many graphics cards it can handle. To maximize stability with more cards than one, BIOS adjustments may be necessary.
A hand-me-down gaming motherboard is sufficient to build a starter rig. However, serious gamers use boards designed for mining, such as the Asus B250 Mining Expert, which supports a staggering 19 GPUs.
CPU
A mining rig’s center seat can be used by any modern multicore CPU, as well as a small 4-8GBs of DRAM. Exotic memory configurations are not worth the stability risk. Don’t overclock. Celerons, single-stick configurations of memory, and other money-saving shortcuts are all acceptable here. This is the perfect place to put items from your spare parts shelf.
Grab your dual-core Celeron or puny Pentium and dust it off. All three work well in a mining rig. You can get a Skylake Celeron for at a low $46 on Amazon.
This has a minor side effect. It’s possible to still make a profit from CPU mining-specific algorithms. Although the CryptoNight algorithm is used in Monero coins is the only viable option, you can still mine $1 per day with a Ryzen 7 processor. It was even higher in January. It’s better to buy another graphics card than worry about your CPU mining potential.
Graphics card
All Nvidia and AMD high-end GPUs are currently the best for mining. The original MSRPs for AMD’s Vega 56 would make a good choice, while Nvidia’s GTX1070 would be a great pick. Everything from the GTX 1060 to the RX 570 is also viable. However, the situation is much more complex than it sounds.
The AMD Vega 56 is an excellent choice for crypto mining – if you can find it at the original price of $400. They are expensive right now.
Price gouging is rampant. The best options are special six-pack deals or alternative cards such as R290X/R390X cards you may already have or can obtain for affordable prices from trusted sources. These older cards are still power-hungry but provide excellent mining performance and are less susceptible to price rises. They are also not a wrong choice for those who live in areas with low electricity rates. Second-hand cards that were once used in mining rigs should be avoided as stress can significantly reduce the life expectancy of the hardware.
Power supply
The power supply is one area that requires investment. Power supplies are essential for multi-GPU cryptocurrency systems. They will consume more juice than a high-end gaming system. An ideal power supply for mining rigs is a gold-rated one. You will need at least 1000W depending on the GPUs and how many. Seasonic, EVGA, and Corsair all make great choices. A good PSU or a pair is necessary to provide at minimum 1000W of quality power.
RAM and storage
You can save some money on your storage and system memory, even though you might be paying more for a graphics card or a robust power supply. For modern Windows computers, we recommend at least 8GB. However, if you want to save money, you can go with 4GB.
Mining is not dependent on the speed of your OS drive. You can use an old hard drive or a spare SSD to do the job. A small SSD is an excellent option if you are looking for a new part. This will make it easier to use and save you space for your mining operations.
Pre-built rebuilt Bitcoin mining rigs.
It’s easy to build your cryptocurrency mining rig. This is an excellent way for you to get familiar with the hardware and save money over buying a pre-built system (despite the outrageously high prices of graphics cards). Pre-built rebuilt mining equipment is an option if you don’t have enough time or the desire to build it yourself.
Wrapping up
All you need is and a little bit of software. Is at-home mining worthwhile? It’s not always easy to answer, and it is often dependent on the situation. Are you able to get cheap power rates? Do you have hardware lying around? Do you have spare video cards or friends who do? It might be worth giving mining another try for cryptocurrency enthusiasts who can answer these and similar questions. You will have a front-row seat to all the action, and you can also become an expert on bitcoin and blockchains. This knowledge is worth knowing, even if your uncle is the only one asking.
We advise you to avoid investing more than what you can afford to lose and not to get too excited about making a profit and breaking even in a matter of months. In reality, the current price gouging of graphics cards means that you can expect a best-case outcome of seven months. This assumes nothing goes wrong. It could take longer to break even if crypto prices fall further. There is also the possibility of another bubble. If you have the majority of the parts, you can give it a try. Please, stop buying all of our gaming GPUs.
