At the start of this unusual and sometimes difficult year, the cryptocurrency world remembered the boom in crypto mining and whether it was over. However, fears were soon allayed when large companies listed on the Nasdaq showed a clear interest in mining Bitcoin (BTC) for additional revenue.
It has been said more than once that the sharp rise in mining this year is directly related to the sharp rise in cryptocurrency prices. During the summer, Bitcoin could be bought for just over $ 10,000. Now the price is well over twice that. Altcoins are not left behind either. Ether (ETH) hit the $ 650 mark this month and Litecoin (LTC) recently topped $ 117, although the latter could be bought for just $ 41 six months ago.
Since price analysts assume that the market’s upward trend will continue until 2021, the latest hardware offerings are likely to be in great demand. Here are some of the most interesting products in the hardware market that miners should expect to hit store shelves in 2021.
On solid ground
When it comes to bitcoin mining, ASIC miners are the top choice for hardware. An ASIC or application specific integrated circuit is a finished device that is easy to set up and program. When mining Ether- and Ethereum-based tokens, things are getting more and more interesting as a rig has to be put together that consists of a motherboard, GPU cards and several other components.
So what was in use this year and what did the world’s miners spend the most money on? Most recently, Riot Blockchain bought 15,000 variants of the Antminer 19 series, which are scheduled for delivery in 2021. Nathaniel Justin Yu, Manager of the International Marketing Team at Bitmain, confirmed to Cointelegraph that the Antminer 19 series models released in May 2020 were in great demand with Bitcoin miners:
“We have seen growing demand for mining hardware, especially our Antminer 19 series models (Antminer S19 Pro, S19 and T19). The 19 series delivered an industry-leading market performance this year as it is equipped with a custom-made new generation chip and has an energy efficiency of just 23 J / TH. Our Antminer products were purchased until July 2021. “
Of course, for those who have decided to assemble mining equipment themselves, the list of the most sought after equipment for mining this year starts with the GPU cards. Two long-term competitors presented their latest product lines this year: Nvidia with its first-class GPU cards from the GeForce RTX 3000 series in September, followed by AMD’s Radeon RX 6800.
Miners still disagree on which of these cards is better, but the main question is when these cards will be available to everyone as demand significantly exceeds supply. While the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti and AMD Radeon RX580 are still top-end cards, interest in the new offerings is likely to surge through 2021.
New ASICs
For the next year, Bitmain will continue to delight users with ASIC 19 series miners. According to the manufacturer, new solutions will be implemented that will help increase the efficiency of mining.
Another Chinese manufacturer, Canaan Creative, presented a new model of the Bergmann AvalonMiner 1246 in September, which, according to its own statements, is 30% more efficient than its predecessor. According to the manufacturer, AvalonMiner 1246 could reach 90 terahashes per second, while A11 series work at an average of 60-68 Th / s.
The miner will be available from January. Although this model is inferior to Antminer 19 in performance, its cost is a little cheaper. At around $ 3,000, it’s still worth a second look for those looking to mine Bitcoin.
New GPU cards
While Nvidia struggled with the release of its flagship GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, AMD is already working on the next, having just unveiled its 6000 series. The company announced the release of the next series with a new RDNA 3 architecture in late 2021. According to the manufacturer, the performance of the GPU should exceed the previous one by 50% and require less power and cooling to operate.
But Nvidia shouldn’t be written off just yet. Despite some delays in the launch of its GeForce RTX 3000 cards, the company may prepare to unveil new products during the event scheduled for January 12, 2021. Presumably, the manufacturer will introduce Ti and Super modifications that miners should like. In either case, cards of various price ranges will be added to the line, giving users more options when putting together mining equipment.
New motherboard
If GPUs are the preferred method for mining, a good motherboard is an absolute must. The main feature in this case is the number of slots that GPU cards can be installed into.
Given the products already available in the mining motherboard market like the MSI H310-F PRO with 13 GPU card slots or the Asus B250 Mining Expert with 19 slots, miners shouldn’t expect any special gifts from manufacturers in 2021.
However, new goods are on the way. Biostar, one of the largest hardware manufacturers, recently introduced a new TB360-BTC D + motherboard for cryptocurrency mining. The motherboard has eight PCIe x16 slots, which is sufficient for a standard rig. However, the price and sales start date are not yet clear.
Hardware that shouldn’t be overlooked
The selection of each component is crucial for efficient dismantling. Aside from having the right GPU card and motherboard, uninterrupted internet and power is a must. In addition, the equipment used to mine cryptocurrencies is very noisy and can get hot. Therefore, miners must observe the safety precautions. If you are mining at home, it is best to operate the rig in an air-conditioned room when it is warm and on a balcony when it is not warm.
Related article:: The best crypto mining graphics cards for your buck
In addition, it is worth choosing a powerful power supply with sufficient power and, above all, protection against voltage peaks and other electrical problems. One such option, which will ship in early 2021, is the EVGA SuperNOVA 1000, which costs nearly $ 200.
Choosing a frame is not the final task as it will affect the level of noise generated by the rig. Guntis Vitolins from Mineshop, which sells both pre-built rigs and equipment separately, told Cointelegraph that miners’ tastes have changed this year:
“The GPU mining industry has changed since 2017. Most miners prefer the riser server type with fewer GPU cases over open-air frames with risers. Because the cooling is better in the closed case and the installation is also much faster. The only downside to these cases is that they can be a bit noisy at 50 to 60 dB. “
For those who don’t want to figure out the complex subject of designing a mining rig, choosing GPU cards, etc., there are companies out there that offer turnkey solutions. This year, experts discussed the growth in sales of these prefabricated drilling rigs, dubbed “Mining 2.0”.
Vitolins went on to say that “sales have increased dramatically since March 2020,” adding that GPU miners built with AMD graphics cards (the best cards for mining ethers) have been a particular hit.
Is 2021 Good For Mining?
With cryptocurrency prices soaring and the excitement surrounding mining machinery, there is hope that 2021 will start no worse for the industry than last year. However, it is impossible to predict whether crypto mining will remain in vogue due to the economic uncertainty in the face of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic.
However, it’s safe to say that in 2020, after the Bitcoin mining reward halved and the not-so-smooth rainy season in China, miners have become more experienced and battle-hardened. Today miners are no longer babies seeing the world around them for the first time, but are ready for market shocks and able to adapt to all conditions. As large public companies start crypto mining, the acceptance and acceptance trend should continue to consolidate in 2021.
