What Are the Best GPUs for your Crypto Mining Rig?
The first question to answer is: What is Crypto Mining?
To keep it simple, Crypto mining (like Bitcoin or Ethereum mining) is the process of solving complex equations by using computer processing power that results in you reaping cryptocurrency rewards for your work. These equations are used to solve and validate data blocks which are then added to a transaction record in a public ledger called the blockchain.
Crypto mining is a transactional process involving computers completing complex functions within a cryptographic process and then recording this complex data into a blockchain.
This process is revolutionary in that it creates an impenetrable flow of cryptocurrency which is nearly impossible to interrupt, falsify, or bring down.
Cryptocurrencies and Crypto mining are alternatives to traditional banking systems. They create currencies and ledgers that cannot be altered, allowing for a completely free trade system that is totally decentralized and accessible to anyone who wants to participate in the system.
Thanks to Vitalik Buterin (one of the co-founders of Ethereum) and many others, Crypto is now becoming used for more than just economics. Any situation where 3rd parties are used could benefit from some form of blockchain/crypto. Where there’s any kind of transfer of information between two different parties, there’s most likely a use case for crypto and potentially crypto mining in order to keep the transaction more secure.
So, whether you are looking to do Bitcoin mining or Ethereum mining, how do you get started creating the right Crypto mining system?
How to Start Creating a GPU Crypto Rig
The first question after deciding to start crypto mining is usually how do I get started?
There are basically three major ways to get started Crypto Mining:
- Cloud Mining
- CPU Mining
- GPU Mining
Cloud Mining involves paying a company to do the crypto mining for you and you get to reap some of the rewards of the mining. This process can sometimes take six months or longer before you break even and begin to make money, though. Keep in mind that it requires a willingness to invest up front until you start making money from the process. However, this is one of the easiest ways to get started in mining.
Two popular cloud mining companies are Genesis Mining and HashFlare, but it's difficult to start with either since they are sold out/out of stock often.
- Genesis Mining: https://www.genesis-mining.com/
- HashFlare: https://hashflare.io/
CPU Mining is where you invest in building rigs that focus on Central Processing Units to do the heavy lifting of the calculations required for Crypto Mining. These are cheaper to start up and build, but can become more expensive in the long-run. They also have the slowest mining process of all options. CPUs have fewer circuits that perform arithmetic operations making them slower when it comes to performing large amounts of calculations. That’s why GPU mining is more profitable long-term.
GPU Mining will have you investing in building rigs with Graphics Processing Units performing the heavy lifting of Crypto Mining. These can be more expensive to start up, but they offer the fastest crypto mining speeds meaning you make more money. This is the best method by far. In fact, many companies you would be utilizing for Cloud Mining use what are called Crypto Mining farms with dozens of rigs using GPU Mining to do all of their Crypto Mining.
How to Build a GPU Crypto Mining Rig
So, if you want to dive into Crypto Mining, the best way to do it is to build your own crypto rig with the best GPUs for Crypto Mining.
A GPU Crypto Mining Rig will usually consist of 2-8 GPUs (they don't all have to be the same, but we highly recommend it) with plenty of cooling and ample power to run efficiently.
It is worth noting that any Crypto Rig will require lots of cooling and power in order to run without frying any of the parts, so plan accordingly!
It’s important to estimate your cost and profit depending on your rig, and that’s why Nice Hash has a great profit calculator tool you can use to make sure it’s worth the investment.
Now, the other parts of a Crypto Rig that are going to be vital to your crypto mining operation are the CPU and the Motherboard (Mobo). We will discuss these later on, but they are not the most important piece of the rig when it comes to Crypto Mining.
So let’s break down some of the best GPU’s available today that work well for crypto mining.
Which GPU is Best for Mining?
Here are our best picks of GPUs to use for crypto mining:
1. MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 2070
Price: ~$2,000
The MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 2070 is one of the best GPUs for Crypto Mining available right now. Many of the features that make it a great GPU for gaming also make it a great GPU for Crypto Mining, namely, its cooling and power systems. With a better heatsink design to improve heat dissipation, and the ability to consume less power by stopping the fan during low workload times, this GPU is a perfect contender for best GPU in Crypto Mining.
Specifications for the MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 2070
2. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti
Price: $1,407
The second choice in our list is NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti. The processing power, bandwidth capabilities, and other specs cement this as a great option to use for crypto mining. However, the mining speed is a little bit lower than the MSI RTX 2070 above.
Specifications for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti
3. ASUS ROG Strix AMD Radeon RX 5700XT
Price: $1,377
For a gaming GPU with great specs and comparable output to the 2080 Ti mentioned above, the AMD Radeon 5700XT is also a great choice for crypto mining. On certain cryptocurrency mining tests, this GPU can actually outpace the 2080 Ti, and it comes with a smaller price tag as well. In general, no matter what you’re mining, this GPU is a powerhouse that rivals many of the leaders in this field.
Specifications for the ASUS ROG Strix AMD Radeon RX 5700XT
4. GeForce RTX 2060 Super
Price: ~$632-$678
As one of the most cost-effective options for Crypto Mining, this model performs really well at a much lower price point. Different cryptocurrencies require slightly different Crypto Mining strategies, and this GPU is a great pick for cryptocurrencies that require lots of memory bandwidth while minimizing power drain.
Since many of the RTX 20 series of GPUs have similar Crypto Mining speeds, this GPU is a cost-effective model to get the max bang for your buck with a quicker turnaround time.
Specifications for the GeForce RTX 2060 Super
5. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
Price: $2,379+
Coming in at number five on our list is actually the most powerful GPU we will be referencing, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090. The only reason we chose to rank it further down the list would be the higher price tag, but if you have the budget, this GPU is one of the best for crypto mining.
The higher price tag means you’ll require a longer amount of time to break even on your rig before you could actually make money by Crypto Mining. This GPU is definitely a beast in terms of having the all-time highest mining rate of any GPUs on the market, making it worth the price tag.
Specifications for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
What motherboard (Mobo) is best for Crypto Mining?
Having the right motherboard is key to getting the most out of your Crypto Rig. For a GPU Mining Rig, you need to be able to optimize the number of GPUs you can fit into your machine. That means having the maximum amount of ports available and all the necessary specs to run them all efficiently.
ASUS B250 MINING EXPERT
The name “Mining Expert” says it all. The ASUS B250 MINING EXPERT Motherboard is one of the best options out there designed specifically for Crypto Mining. To make the ideal crypto rig, this is the one you want to use.
Specifications for ASUS B250 MINING EXPERT
Other notable motherboards for crypto mining include:
What CPUs are best for Crypto Mining?
The right motherboard paired with the right CPU will maximize your mining yields. While you don’t need to worry about having the most powerful or most spectacular CPU for a GPU Mining Rig, it is still a good idea to make sure you are using something compatible with your GPUs that will perform to your expectations.
Intel Core i3-8100 CPU
When considering a CPU for a GPU Crypto Mining Rig, the most important factor is whether or not you are planning to ever reuse or repurpose the parts within the rig. If you are looking to build a cost-effective rig and you don’t care about the parts never being used or utilized for anything all that intense again, this is the CPU for you. This will do everything you need it to do for your mining rig and will still have computing power for projects down the road! This CPUE has four cores, 6MB of cache memory, but, most importantly for Crypto Mining, only needs 65 watts of power to run.
Specifications for Intel Core i3-8100 CPU
Get More Helpful Insights in Our Other Articles
Are you ready to tackle building your ideal GPU Mining Crypto Rig now?
If you are stuck or need some help making a decision, then we recommend starting with the MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 2070 or NVIDIA RTX 3090 for your rig and then work from there. You can find other articles and comparisons about all your crypto mining and crypto rig needs on our SabrePC blog.
Keep a lookout for more helpful articles that will be on the way soon. If you have any questions or want to suggest some other topics for us to focus on, please feel free to contact us.
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