The Best GPU For Mining
Choosing the best GPU for cryptocurrency mining in 2022 could yield more than one winner. Different variables, such as the cost of electricity in each country and the prices in the cryptocurrency market (among others), can affect the outcome of choosing the graphics card model with the best mining performance.
When it comes to choosing a GPU, regardless of the purpose for which we want it, there are many brands and models, but only two manufacturers: AMD and Nvidia. Although it can be somewhat complicated to determine which manufacturers and which GPU models are currently the most widely used for cryptocurrency mining, the specialized mining platform Hive OS allows us to understand how this competition is going, at least among users of its products.
Source: Hive OS
According to statistics presented by Hive OS, 59% of its clientele mine with AMD GPUs, while 41% do so with Nvidia. Of the graphics cards manufactured by AMD, the 8GB RX 580 retains its title in 2022 as the favorite of miners on Hive Os.
Source: Hive OS
In fact, it can be noted how almost 70% of those mining with red video cards use RX 500, RX 5000, and RX 6000 series models of 6 GB or more, which originated from the moment when mining with 4 GB VRAM models in cryptocurrencies such as ether and Ethereum classic ceased to be an option due to specification changes of these protocols. Still, 13% of miners using AMD keep some 4 GB RX 470, RX 570, and RX 580 GPUs on when mining different cryptocurrencies.
As for Nvidia’s graphics cards, the GPU that tops the list is the 6 GB GTX 1660 Super. This displaces the Nvidia P106-100, which was the favorite of 2021. This model is not well recognized, as it is part of a series that was manufactured exclusively for mining and was not released to the retail market. The P106-100s were distributed among large mining farms and represent 5% of the Nvidia GPUs used by Hive OS customers.
Best mining GPU
Choosing the best GPU for cryptocurrency mining in 2022 could yield more than one winner. Different variables, such as the cost of electricity in each country and the prices in the cryptocurrency market (among others), can affect the outcome of choosing the graphics card model with the best mining performance.
The best performing video card in terms of revenue generated was Nvidia’s RTX 3090, with 4.86 USD per day. It was followed by the RTX A5000 from Nvidia, which generated 4.45 USD per day. However, considering the price of these cards in the balance, their ROI (Return on Investment) is high. Based on current profit values, it would take about a year and a half of uninterrupted mining to recoup the money invested in purchasing this equipment.
To the surprise of many, the graphics card with the best ROI of all those on this list is the Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti. Although it generates only $2.56 per day, its low power consumption and price make it possible to amortize the investment in about 280 days. The demand for GPUs for cryptocurrency mining has led to a shortage in the market, creating a large second-hand market.
GPU mining rig
Graphics cards (GPUs) remain the hardware of choice for many cryptocurrency miners in 2022. The high processing speed of video cards, as this type of hardware is also known, has given them a foothold in cryptocurrency mining, even though they were not originally designed for this purpose. One advantage of GPUs over other mining hardware, such as ASICs, is that they can work with a wide range of cryptocurrencies. Unlike graphics cards, ASICs are designed to work exclusively with one algorithm, a factor that limits their mining options.
Despite the disadvantage they present to GPUs, ASICs have in their favour that they are very powerful in the algorithm they mine. This factor has threatened the permanence of video cards in the mining niche and managed to take them out of the game in cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, which were mined with GPUs for a while. However, graphics cards have managed to remain the hardware of choice for mining cryptocurrencies such as ether (from Ethereum), Ethereum classic, zcash, monero, bitcoin gold, beam, ravencoin, among others.
GPU mining
These graphics cards are attractive because of their ROI, which allows those who decide to invest in these devices to recoup their investment in a short time. Their prices are between USD 600 and USD 3000, but their mining capabilities are among the highest of all GPUs.
v Nvidia mining GPU
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
- Frequency: 1440 MHz – 1710 MHz
- VRAM: GDDR6X – 10 GB
- Power consumption: 224W
The RTX 3080 is so powerful that the only reason for not being classified as high-end is its VRAM capacity, which is 10 GB. Despite this, this graphics card is able to achieve Ethereum mining at 97 MH/s with a power consumption of 224W. Its processor is the same one used by the RTX A5000, which was previously discussed, and its memory works at a base speed of 1188 MHz.
One of the disadvantages of the RTX 30 models is the limitation imposed on them by Nvidia out of the box. The purpose of such limitations is that miners would not be so interested in these models and would look at those that are dedicated to this activity; so that there would be more availability of these cards for gamers, graphic designers, and architects.
The measures taken by Nvidia to limit the mining capacity of these GPUs did not have the expected effect. Miners found ways to circumvent Nvidia’s blockades with various software and mine cryptocurrencies with dividends. The RTX 3080 can generate daily profits of USD 4.02, giving it an ROI ranging from 9 to 12 months.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
- Frequency: 1410 MHz – 1665 MHz
- VRAM: GDDR6 – 8 GB
- Power consumption: 120W
The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, like the entire RX 30 series of Nvidia graphics cards, features Ampere architecture and has an 8nm video processor, although in this case, it is the GA104 model and not the GA102 that its bigger sisters have. Its processing speed reaches 1665 MHz, while its memory is around 1750 MHz.
Like other GPUs of its generation designed by Nvidia, this one is programmed to limit its mining power. Even so, the RTX 3060 Ti has the potential to reach 60.2 MH/s while consuming 120W of power, allowing it to generate profits of USD 2.56 per day. According to the characteristics of the Ethereum network and the market currently, the ROI of this graphics card is 280 days or 9 months.
v 6 GPU mining rig
ASRock H81 PRO BTC
This motherboard will support any graphics card you are running, either AMD or Nvidia. It is good for starting to create Ethereum mining rigs. I have used it with the Nvidia 1070 and also the Rx 470. This is one of the cheap mining motherboards you can find. All the miners have started using ASRock.
The motherboard works with DDR3, so no problem, and you will have to use an Intel processor, which I think is fine. Also, choose 4GB DDR3 RAM instead of 8GB DDR3 RAM. You can connect all 6 GPUs without sacrificing efficiency, and all graphics drivers are supported. The motherboard recognizes all GPUs and also works well with Windows OS.
MSI Pro Series Z270
If all the GPU motherboards did not convince you in the list above, you could switch to the MSI Pro series. This is one of the 6 best GPU motherboards you can buy. Also, mining with this motherboard will not pose any inconvenience. Installation and drivers are simple, AMD and Nvidia are supported. This motherboard is an acceptable option for ASRock ATX 1066 LGA 1150 H81 PRO BTC motherboard.
All of these motherboards are slowly running out of stock as more and more miners enter the business. It will be one of the best motherboards for mining Litecoin, Zcash, Monero, and other Litecoins. The MSI mining motherboard is powered by DDR4 RAM and an Intel processor. All connected GPUs work well with Windows and Linux operating systems.
GPU mining software
These are programs that help people mine cryptocurrencies. You need good software and a PC with a decent GPU that can do the job to do this mining. Today, there are many programs to choose from, yet not every one of them delivers equal results. That’s why it’s essential to choose the right software for your needs.
CGMiner
It can be said that it is one of the best known and most used programs by users who want to mine for cryptocurrencies. For many, it is the veteran program and the one that is offering the best results. We are talking about multiplatform software, which has been written in C. Thanks to that, we can install it on any operating system.
Of course, to take advantage of it, you should look for a dedicated mining system, although it can be used on any computer, as long as it has a quality GPU connected. One of the things I like the most is the optimization of the software that makes the mining more quality. The important thing is to put a URL of the pool so that the earnings accumulate and the effort is worth something.
Cudo Miner
It is another interesting program for people who want to perform mining but are quite lost in that aspect. The program has been specially designed to help people with little knowledge to obtain good results. The interface is simple, hence it is very interesting for people who are going to start in the world of mining.
In addition, it has a configuration wizard that makes starting the program easier. One of the strong points is that not only Bitcoin mining can be performed, but it is also compatible with other cryptocurrencies. Thus, you will be able to mine the coins that really interest you. You only have to choose the cryptocurrency you are interested in, and the program will start working.
GPU mining profitability
With a graphics card, you can mine a wide variety of cryptocurrencies. There are some that are more profitable than others, but that factor depends on different circumstances, such as the equipment used, operating costs, and the price of the cryptocurrency being mined. The good news is that the hardware is affordable, priced from $500 and up, depending on how powerful it is. In addition, there is interesting competition among manufacturers of this hardware.
