Oct 29, 2018 14:30 UTC
| Updated:
Oct 30, 2018 at 05:58 UTC
5 Best Bitcoin Mining Hardwares
By Rishma Banerjee
Cryptocurrency could possibly be the 21st century’s greatest gift, as it has grown more and more stable over the years and foremost amongst the cryptocurrencies available is Bitcoin. There are two ways in which bitcoins may be acquired. Bitcoins may either be bought or they can be mined. In order to mine Bitcoins and add them to your wallet, is through a technology known as the Bitcoin mining hardware. A few major criteria must be kept in mind, before selecting a hardware are:
a) Hash Rate: This is a critical aspect of the hardware and basically indicates the number of complex mathematical computations, that the hardware can perform in one second, in order to get BTC rewards.
b) Energy Consumption: The more powerful the hardware, the more its energy consumption will be. It is, therefore, necessary to strike a balance between Cost and the amount of energy consumption, such that optimization can be achieved.
c) Price: The deal, with regards to price, is, if you buy a more expensive hardware you are most likely to mine faster than its much cheaper alternative. Mining Hardware is a long time investment, which successfully sees the user through the fluctuating prices of Bitcoins and its market.
Now, on to the best five mining hardware for Bitcoins:
1. Dragonmint T16
Application-specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC) solutions are peerless when it comes to Bitcoin mining hardware, with ample ways available in fighting the threats related to it. Dragonmint T16 from Halong Mining is also unique because it is the first device to have achieved a hast rate of 16 TH/s. Though it needs a 1600 W power supply, it only utilizes 0.075J/GH against 0.098J/GH in Bitmain’s Antminer S9. There has been a 20 per cent increase in its efficiency, since the implementation of the ASICBOOST algorithm.
Taking into consideration both its hash rate and energy consumption level, it is 30 per cent more efficient than its minor competitors.
2. Bitmain Antminer S5
Antminer S5, though not the last and most updated model, is still considered one of the bests there is, in terms of use, efficiency and functioning capacity. It requires a 115-volt power supply and draws about 560 watts. Due to their low power needs and consumption, Antminer S5 can be run mostly smoothly by running desktop computers. It utilizes about 0.51 J/GH. It weighs only 2.5 kgs due to the fact that its open from top to bottom and uses a lightweight material.
It is simple to use and requires no prior tech experience.
Introduced in 2015, the Antminer S7 has become one of the most popular Bitcoin hardware miners. It requires a power supply unit of 1600 watt APW3 and is one of its most attractive features. However, it requires a minimum of 205 Volts to operate. At room temperature, which is the most ideal for it, the s7 can produce upto 1300 watts. It weighs about 3.5 kgs and comes with a durable metal casing with an incorporated groove and tongue system. It is noisy, thus not perfect to be kept at homes and requires a cool environment to be most efficient.
4. Bitmain Antminer S9
The Bitmain Antminer S9 is currently the most updated hardware available on the market. It boasts of a hash rate of about 14 TH/sec and is highly efficient due to the presence of 3 circuit boards with a total of 189 chips. It can be used with the Antminer 1600 Watt power supply and consumes 300 more watts as compared to the S7, which basically translates to an efficiency almost twice that of S7.
It weighs a sturdy 10.4 pounds and produces a noise not well suited for a home
The unit has a sturdy design and weighs 10.4 pounds. The sturdy design comes in handy when a miner needs to arrange the multiple miners on one shelf. Using the S9, you best have it in a garage or a warehouse. The noise produced is unbearable for a home.
Conclusion
The question of mining bitcoins lies entirely with you, though the word is still out on whether their value is legitimate or if they are inching towards an upward swing. That being said, if and when bitcoins are to be mined, these are the hardware you should be considering to make your venture profitable.
Rishma is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and has a special place in her life for sifting through all sorts of random trivia, thank you very much.
