What You Will Need to Build a Mining Rig (2024)

By Ashish Rajendra Kumar Sai

If you have ever thought about building an ethereum mining rig, a big part of that is knowing what components you will need and that is what we are looking at with this blog.

In our blog from last week, we looked at the basics of a mining rig, which is a specialized computer with a highly efficient Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) — in case you missed it, you can read it here.

To build an ethereum mining rig, we will need all of the components of a conventional desktop computer, as well as good GPUs.

A traditional desktop computer has a CPU for normal computing operations, a RAM and a hard drive. CPU and RAM are mounted on a motherboard, which connects all of the components of the computer.

Even though most desktop providers provide a GPU with computers, these GPUs, for the most part, cannot be used for mining, due to poor performance.

One more point to note is that a mining rig designed to mine ethereum would not be ideal for mining other cryptocurrencies.

I am now going to take you through the components of a mining rig and how they differ from a conventional computer.

  • CPU — Described as the brain of the computer, this is often considered to be the most critical component, but for the purpose of mining, GPUs do a better job, so we tend to get a CPU, which does the bare minimum, as we are not depending on it as much as the GPU. For mining ethereum, we recommend using an Intel Celeron or Intel i3 processor.
  • RAM — Higher RAM does not mean that you get a better mining performance, so we recommend using anywhere between 4GB and 16GB of RAM. When deciding what size RAM best suits your needs, look at the operating system for mining and whether or not virtual memory is used. If you use ethOS, you can comfortably use a 4GB RAM, but if you use Windows without virtual memory, you should be using at least 8GB RAM. You can use RAM from any of the major suppliers, but it is always good practice to make sure it is compatible with your motherboard.
  • Hard Disk — The size of the Hard Disk you use for mining very much depends on whether you intend to join a mining pool or if you will be mining on your own. If you are going to join a mining pool, you can use any 120 GB SSD, but if you are going to be mining on your own, take the size of the blockchain and rate of increase of the volume into consideration.
  • Graphics Card — This is the most important part of a mining rig, so there are a few things to consider when buying one. You will need to take the hash rate and power consumption into consideration, as many graphics cards are quite expensive, but do not provide good hash rates — finding the perfect balance between price and performance is vital. We recommend using Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1070 or Radeon RX Vega 64 for ETH mining. Depending on the motherboard, you can have anywhere between one and eight graphics cards in your mining rig.
  • Motherboard — This is what connects all of the components together and the mining rig is built onto the motherboard. PCI slots on our motherboard limit the number of GPUs that we can use in our mining rig. This limitation is why it’s essential to buy a motherboard that supports the desired amount of graphics cards. We recommend using MSI LGA1151 Z170A ATX for 6 GPU mining rig.
  • PSU — The Power Supply Unit is used to regulate the power supply to all of the mining components. There is a huge variety of PSUs to choose from and this can seem overwhelming. A good rule to go by when picking the right PSU is to calculate the power required by individual components and then choose a PSU, which can supply more power than the sum of energy needed for all parts. If we have 4 GPU each demanding 200 Watts, we need a PSU that can provide more than 800 Watts plus the power requirement of other components, such as CPU and motherboard. For our advanced configuration, we recommend using Corsair RM Series RM1000X.
  • Riser Cable — In order to simplify the construction of the mining rig, we will use riser cables to extend the PCI-e connection from GPUs to the motherboard. We recommend buying one riser cable for every GPU (Kyerivs PCIe Powered Riser Adapter Card Kit).
  • Case — Unlike traditional personal computers, there is not an enclosing body for the mining rig. To place all of the components together, either construct a case or buy one online. The size and cost of a pre-made case vary depending on the quality of the case, but something as simple as a wooden crate can be used as the frame.
  • Peripherals — To set things up, you will need a screen, mouse and keyboard. These components will not be critical once we are done with setting up our mining rig so if you have a PC you can use its peripherals to set things up.

In the next part of this technical blog about how to build a mining rig, we will look at the software we can use for mining.

About Horizon:

Horizon is a fintech company that builds and powers global securities exchanges with an integrated suite of software for compliant issuance, management, and secondary trading of securities. Our in-house solutions combine Wall Street and Silicon Valley to power the next generation of securities offerings and trading in the U.S. and globally. Learn more at https://www.horizonfintex.com/.

What You Will Need to Build a Mining Rig (2024)

FAQs

What do you need to build a mining rig? ›

However, specialized parts are required to build the rig. For instance, mining requires specific components such as a motherboard, GPUs, graphics cards, PSUs, riser cards, and other components. You also need a specific configuration based on the type of crypto you're mining.

What do you need for mining? ›

The Mining Requirements
  • Hardware GPU (graphics processing unit), SSD for crypto mining, or ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit)
  • Mining software.
  • A wallet.
  • Preferred mining pool (if one chooses pool mining option instead of solo mining)

What components are needed for crypto mining? ›

There are generally three basic components to a mining operation: the wallet, the mining software, and the mining hardware.
  • Cryptocurrency Wallet. ...
  • Mining Software. ...
  • Mining Hardware. ...
  • Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) ...
  • Home Computers. ...
  • Hash Rate.
Jul 14, 2022

How do I build my first mining rig? ›

How to Build a Crypto Mining Rig
  1. Step 1: Attach the CPU. Attach the CPU to the motherboard. ...
  2. Step 2: Attach the RAM. Installing the RAM should be easy. ...
  3. Step 3: Attach the Motherboard to the Rig Frame. ...
  4. Step 4: Attach the Power Supply Unit. ...
  5. Step 5: Attach the PCIe Risers.
Jan 26, 2023

What are 3 good things about mining? ›

Aside from supporting thousands of jobs, the mining industry provides raw materials, minerals and metals critical to our economy. They provide the foundations for modern living, innovation and engineering achievements. Take platinum, for example; it is used in more than 20 percent of all manufactured goods.

How many graphics cards do I need for mining? ›

Answer: There is no minimum or limit to the number of GPUs you can use when mining, and can even start with 1. However, if you are into a serious mining business, a rig of 6 GPUs is recommended.

How much is a mining rig? ›

How Much Does a Mining Rig Cost? A typical ASIC mining rig can cost anywhere between $2,000 and $20,000. That is a broad range and it does not tell the full story of the quality of the product. It is important to understand that the price of a mining rig is not the only factor when buying a miner.

How much RAM do I need for mining? ›

RAM — Higher RAM does not mean that you get a better mining performance, so we recommend using anywhere between 4GB and 16GB of RAM. When deciding what size RAM best suits your needs, look at the operating system for mining and whether or not virtual memory is used.

What tools do I need to mine Ethereum? ›

Mining Software & Hardware requirements
  • Mining application: Ethereum uses the Ethash algorithm. ...
  • Mining pool address.
  • Graphics Card: GPU with 3GB RAM, can mine Ethereum. ...
  • GPU drivers.
  • Crypto Wallets: You will also need a cryptocurrency wallet to receive the ETH.
  • Operating System: You should choose Windows 10(64bit).
Apr 15, 2023

Why do mining rigs need GPU? ›

Why is GPU used for mining? GPUs are used for mining because they are designed to handle complex calculations in parallel, which is well-suited for the mathematical algorithms used in cryptocurrency mining.

What makes a good crypto mining rig? ›

Mining rigs are built either with GPU units or ASIC units pooled together. The most important aspects to consider when building a mining rig are power consumption and efficiency of the mining process, the block reward, and the value of the currency.

How many computers are needed for crypto mining? ›

The resources required for mining Bitcoin include: At least one specialized computer (called an Application-specific Integrated Circuit or ASIC miner), which is specifically designed to compete for and support a particular cryptocurrency. A reliable and inexpensive energy supply. A dependable internet connection.

What is the easiest crypto to mine? ›

Monero (XMR) is one of the easiest cryptocurrencies to mine using a home computer. Monero is a privacy-focused crypto based on the CryptoNote protocol and utilizes the RandomX hash function to create increasingly complicated mathematical equations.

How much can 1 mining rig make a day? ›

Most Bitcoin mining rigs make at least 2000 USD every day on average. Some can make up to as high as 5000 USD daily. We recommend buying more efficient and robust mining equipment to maximize your daily income from Bitcoin mining.

Which mining rig is most profitable? ›

Some of the most profitable and best ASIC Bitcoin miners include:
  • Bitmain Antminer S19 XP Hyd (255Th)
  • Bitmain Antminer S19 XP (140Th)
  • Canaan Avalon Made A1366.
  • MicroBT Whatsminer M50S.
  • MicroBT WhatsMiner M56S.
Mar 19, 2023

Is mining still profitable 2023? ›

Cryptocurrency mining is still profitable in 2023, but it may not be as rewarding as in the past. That's accurate for a variety of factors, including the fact that cryptocurrency prices were significantly lower than their peaks for the majority of 2022 and into early 2023.

How long will my mining rig last? ›

The average lifespan of a well-kept, maintained machine can be around 3 to 5 years. Nevertheless, if you keep ASICs in harsh or poor conditions, they can deteriorate in as little as a few months. Contrarily, taking good care of an ASIC miner can prolong their lifespan for more than 5 years.

How do you calculate how much a mining rig will make? ›

Monthly Price Per kW to Price Per Mining Rig
  1. Determine total power demand in watts.
  2. Multiply total power demand in watts x load factor (80% or 1.2)
  3. Convert watts (W) to kilowatts (kW)
  4. Multiply your total power demand including load factor x price per kW / month.
Apr 20, 2023

What are 2 negative things about mining? ›

Some of the negative impacts of mining are loss of vegetation cover, mass destruction of water bodies, loss of biodiversity, land-use changes and food insecurity, increased social vices and conflicts, high cost of living, and air pollution.

What are 5 examples of mining? ›

These are oil and gas extraction, coal mining, metal ore mining, nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying, and mining support activities.

What are 2 negative effects of mining? ›

Mine exploration, construction, operation, and maintenance may result in land-use change, and may have associated negative impacts on environments, including deforestation, erosion, contamination and alteration of soil profiles, contamination of local streams and wetlands, and an increase in noise level, dust and ...

What is the cheapest GPU for mining? ›

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 TI is the best all-around card, mining quickly at a cost-effective MSRP. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the best budget card, available in many sectors for cheap. And the NVIDIA GeForce RTC 2070 is just a solid card at a low price.

What is the most profitable mining GPU? ›

RX 6800 by AMD is arguably the most efficient mining GPU. One of the advantages of the RX 6800 for mining is its relatively low power consumption compared to other high-end GPUs, which can help improve profitability by reducing electricity costs.

How many GPU does it take to mine 1 Bitcoin? ›

Answer: There is no minimum or limit to the number of GPUs you can use when mining, and can even start with 1 . However, if you are into a serious mining business, a rig of 6 GPUs is recommended.

How much does a 3080 mining rig cost? ›

Assuming that the price of RTX 3080 is somewhere in the 699 to 1199 USD space, the cost of the whole rig is estimated at 100K USD.

How much is a mining rig in USA? ›

Costs for an average ASIC mining rig range from $2,000 to $20,000. That is a wide range, and it does not accurately reflect the product's quality.

How much do crypto miners make? ›

Crypto Mining Salary
Annual SalaryMonthly Pay
Top Earners$100,500$8,375
75th Percentile$77,500$6,458
Average$64,161$5,346
25th Percentile$48,000$4,000

Do you need a powerful computer for mining? ›

Therefore, if you have a slow computer, you may not produce enough Cryptocurrencies. You can use a standard computer with a CPU, motherboard, RAM, and storage. However, the most important thing is the graphics processing unit (GPU) or the video card.

Can you use any motherboard for mining? ›

Most Bitcoin mining takes place on dedicated ASICs, which you can hook up to almost any motherboard. However, to mine cryptocurrencies like Ethereum or Monero, you'll want to consider a cryptocurrency mining motherboard with multiple GPU slots.

What is the minimum GPU for ethereum mining? ›

The latter part is very important as Ethereum mining requires a lot of runtime memory, at least 4GB per GPU.

How many Ethereum are left? ›

Ethereum Supply is at a current level of 120.21M, down from 120.22M yesterday and up from 119.35M one year ago. This is a change of -0.00% from yesterday and 0.72% from one year ago.

How much is 1 ETH worth right now? ›

Right now, 1 Ethereum is worth about $1,665.40.

How much is 1 Ethereum coin? ›

Ethereum Price Chart (ETH/USD)
24 Hour High24 Hour LowMarket Capitalization
1,680.67 USD1,634.42 USD201,895,399,859.94 USD

Does mining damage GPU? ›

GPU mining itself isn't a danger to your PC—it's the mileage. Since most GPUs rely on attached or auxiliary fans, these parts can degrade faster during periods of sustained use. To prevent damage to your card, you'll need to clean them often.

Why are Nvidia cards better at mining? ›

GPUs are ideal for mining cryptocurrencies due to their higher hash processing power and efficiency.

Is it OK to buy mining GPU? ›

So, at least according to LTT's testing, it appears that buying a second-hand mining GPU isn't as dangerous and dodgy a proposition as it might appear to be. Still, make sure wherever you're getting the card from has a return policy in case it arrives with performance issues.

How much BTC can I mine per day? ›

How many Bitcoin can you mine a day? Based the mining hardware inputs provided, 0.00033623 Bitcoin can be mined per day with a Bitcoin mining hashrate of 140.00 TH/s, a block reward of 6.25 BTC, and a Bitcoin difficulty of 52,350,439,455,487.00.

What is the highest hash rate miner? ›

Best Crypto Miner Machines
NameCompanyHash Rate
Whatsminer M30SDragonX90 TH/s
Bitmain Antminer S7BitcoinMerch504/ TH/s
Antminer S19‎Bitmain95 TH/s
AntMiner L3+‎Bitmain504MH/s ± 7
2 more rows
May 17, 2023

How much electricity does a mining rig use? ›

Graphics cards used in crypto mining rigs are working around the clock, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. According to CNET, a rig with three GPUs can consume 1,000 watts of power or more when it's running, That is about the same as a medium-size window AC unit.

What is the cheapest crypto to mine? ›

If you are looking for the cheapest crypto to mine, Monero and Ravencoin will be a good choice. Monero, for instance, can be mined on CPUs with normal computer hardware resources. Nevertheless, Bitcoin and Ethereum should be your top choice if looking for the most profitable cryptocurrencies to mine.

Who pays crypto miners? ›

Bitcoin pays out a mining reward each time a new “block” is entered into the permanent record of transactions.

Does crypto mining use a lot of electricity? ›

Cryptocurrency has an energy consumption problem. Bitcoin alone is estimated to consume 127 terawatt-hours (TWh) a year — more than many countries, including Norway.

Which crypto doesn t require mining? ›

IOTA. IOTA uses the “Tangle”, an alternative form of technology that does not require miners. It is maintained by smaller devices and, as such, has lower energy requirements.

How long would it take to mine 1 Bitcoin? ›

How long does it take to mine one Bitcoin? It takes around 10 minutes to mine just one Bitcoin, though this is with ideal hardware and software, which isn't always affordable and only a few users can boast the luxury of. More commonly and reasonably, most users can mine a Bitcoin in 30 days.

Which crypto can be mined on phone? ›

Cryptocurrency-mining software can run on various devices, including PCs and mining rigs, to manage and enhance the cryptocurrency mining process. On an Android device, one can mine Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

How much can 1 mining rig make? ›

Most Bitcoin mining rigs make at least 2000 USD every day on average. Some can make up to as high as 5000 USD daily. We recommend buying more efficient and robust mining equipment to maximize your daily income from Bitcoin mining.

How much does it cost to run a mining rig? ›

For example, one featured Bitcoin mining rig costs USD $1,767 to build and operate and generates $4.56 in profit per day at current prices.

Are mining rigs still profitable? ›

Cryptocurrency mining is still profitable in 2023, but it may not be as rewarding as in the past. Cryptocurrency mining is still profitable in 2023, but it may not be as rewarding as in the past.

How long does it take to mine 1 Bitcoin? ›

How long does it take to mine one Bitcoin? It takes around 10 minutes to mine just one Bitcoin, though this is with ideal hardware and software, which isn't always affordable and only a few users can boast the luxury of. More commonly and reasonably, most users can mine a Bitcoin in 30 days.

How many Bitcoin can 1 miner make? ›

Each time a miner adds a new block of transactions to the blockchain, they earn 6.25 BTC. The dollar value of that amount fluctuates with the value of bitcoin.

Which GPU is best for mining? ›

Best Mining GPU (Graphics Card) for Bitcoin & Ethereum in 2023
  • Top Pick. ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 3090. 4.5. $1,349.99. Check Amazon. 01/25/2023 09:04 pm GMT.
  • 1st Runner. MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 3090. 4.5. $1,769.99. Check Amazon. 01/25/2023 09:39 pm GMT.
  • 2nd Runner. ASUS ROG Strix AMD Radeon RX 5700XT. 4.5. $250.00. Check Amazon.
Jun 5, 2023

How long can you run a mining rig? ›

The average lifespan of a well-kept, maintained machine can be around 3 to 5 years. Nevertheless, if you keep ASICs in harsh or poor conditions, they can deteriorate in as little as a few months. Contrarily, taking good care of an ASIC miner can prolong their lifespan for more than 5 years.

Do mining rigs use a lot of electricity? ›

According to CNET, a rig with three GPUs can consume 1,000 watts of power or more when it's running, That is about the same as a medium-size window AC unit. Not so bad, right? However, a crypto mining warehouse can have hundreds or even thousands of rigs in one location, all consuming precious electricity.

How much can 1 GPU make mining? ›

Top-ranked GPUs can each generate up to $7.75 profit in mining cryptocurrency at an electricity cost of 0.1 $/kWh. Combining multiple GPUs in a rig multiplies the profits significantly.

How can I mine 1 Bitcoin a day? ›

Technically, it is not possible to mine 1 Bitcoin, especially if you are a solo miner. However, if you mine within a pool, your rewards will typically be in satoshis, which are denominations of the BTC coin that could equal 1 BTC over a period of mining.

How much RAM does a mining rig need? ›

RAM — Higher RAM does not mean that you get a better mining performance, so we recommend using anywhere between 4GB and 16GB of RAM. When deciding what size RAM best suits your needs, look at the operating system for mining and whether or not virtual memory is used.

How much electricity does it take to mine 1 Bitcoin? ›

The fact is that even the most efficient Bitcoin mining operation takes roughly 155,000 kWh to mine one Bitcoin. By way of comparison, the average US household consumes about 900 kWh per month.

How much does 1 Bitcoin miner make a year? ›

Crypto Mining Salary
Annual SalaryMonthly Pay
Top Earners$100,500$8,375
75th Percentile$77,500$6,458
Average$64,161$5,346
25th Percentile$48,000$4,000

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