Bitcoin Mining Rigs: Top Bitcoin Miners for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and More
To mine crypto, you need the right tools for the job. While many investors outsource to third-party companies via cloud mining, others like to roll up their sleeves and take the DIY approach.
That’s why we’re here to get you familiar with the best crypto mining rigs on the market right now, across all price ranges and experience levels. We’ll also tell you what to look for in a rig and some common mistakes to avoid. Let’s begin.
What is a Mining Rig?
Before you start loading up your cart with pricey computer components and mining equipment, let’s define what a crypto mining rig is, what it does, and how to use one to mine Bitcoin (BTC).
Mining Bitcoin and Beyond
The purpose of a mining rig is to earn cryptocurrency, a specific type of digital currency, through mining the blocks within the Bitcoin network.
This is accomplished by solving complex calculations called hash functions or hashing algorithms, adding new layers of security and strength to the blockchain, and earning crypto – such as new Bitcoins – as a reward. This differs from Bitcoin transactions, which facilitate the buying or selling of existing Bitcoins.
Different cryptos have unique requirements for earning coins or tokens, but the basic concept remains the same throughout the industry, whether you're working through a mining pool or are mining a completely unmined Bitcoin blockchain. Mining difficulty is just one metric that can tell miners how difficult it is to mine a specific block and the likelihood of a block reward – in this case, a Bitcoin or even just part of a Bitcoin. Each new block, regardless of its difficulty level, presents new opportunities for obtaining a Bitcoin.
Your rig is the machine that does the heavy lifting and keeps your operation up and running, so choose wisely.
Key Mining Rig Features
How do you know if a mining rig is a good investment or not? We’ve narrowed it down to three main features you should consider.
Power
The process of crypto mining is resource-heavy, that’s for sure. Therefore, a high-powered rig is necessary to get the results you want, regardless of your mining strategy.
When we refer to computing power in the context of crypto mining, we’re not talking about CPU speed, memory, or storage. Instead, we’re looking mainly at Graphics Processing Units, also known as GPUs or graphics cards.
These are the components typically used to run complex programs like design applications and games, but in crypto, GPUs do most of the work in the mining process.
Efficiency
To make your investment worthwhile, your mining rig must be efficient in addition to being powerful. Think of efficiency as the fuel economy on a high-speed race car – you want every drop of fuel to count and give you maximum mileage.
In the case of crypto mining, that fuel is energy, and it plays a big part in determining the profitability of your rig. Inefficient mining machines can eat up energy quickly, and there's no way to recoup those costs.
Be sure to consider profitability factors like hash rate when selecting a Bitcoin mining rig of any kind because this will ultimately make or break your efforts down the road.
Of course, the price of Bitcoin or other cryptos also factors into the overall profitability, but efficiency is within your sphere of control and should be a top priority.
Flexibility
An agile crypto mining strategy is essential to long-term success as altcoins like Ethereum, Litecoin, and others gain momentum in the marketplace.
Bitcoin is still by far the most expensive coin per unit, but many altcoins have seen significant price increases in just the past 12 months, making them worth a closer look for buying or mining.
That’s why you should be ready to quickly switch from one coin to the next as you mine various cryptocurrencies and have a rig that can do the job no matter what.
Luckily, the rigs we mention today are well-equipped for any type of crypto mining, so your focus should be more on installing the right programs and securing your gains. These resources are necessary to stay agile across the crypto market.
Best Bitcoin Mining Rigs
Now that you know the features and attributes of high-performance crypto mining rigs let’s talk specifics.
Here are the three main categories of mining rigs to consider, along with the extras and accessories you’ll need to complete your setup.
Pre-Built Desktops
By far, the quickest and easiest way to get started mining is with a standard desktop computer from a reputable, mainstream brand. Order online or stop by your local tech store to grab one of these all-in-one machines, then simply plug and play in a matter of minutes.
Buying a pre-built machine saves you time and requires little to no technical abilities, making it a convenient option. All you need to do is install your crypto mining software, set up your wallet, and start mining fast.
Brands like Alienware, Dell, HP, and others offer gaming computers right off the shelf, but be aware that you’re spending more for brand names, extra components, and features that may not contribute to better mining performance.
Build Your Own
The DIY approach is how you max out your rig’s performance with minimal overhead. You can hand-select components from CPUs and motherboards to RAM and GPUs. That’s not usually the case with pre-built machines.
You can also configure components exactly as you see fit for your environment and the resources you have available. It will take time and effort to arrange these devices in working order, but the long-term advantages are better performance – and more profits.
In fact, building your own mining rig isn’t as tricky as you might think. There are plenty of tutorials available online, and most components fit together intuitively.
Best ASIC Units
To enter the next level of crypto mining, your focus should be on obtaining and organizing Application Specific Integrated Circuits, or ASIC units.
These are the specialized hardware units used by the world’s most efficient and powerful crypto mining operations – they serve little function beyond heavy-duty mining demands.
With ASIC units, mining is simpler and more straightforward, with less margin for error.
Do an image search for “crypto mining facilities” to see rows and rows of perfectly configured ASIC lined up and working hard. Your goal may not be to operate on such a massive scale, but the individual components are the same.
The challenge is finding and financing these elusive and expensive machines, which are constantly running low in stock or fresh out. Keep an eye on brands like Bitmain, Whatsminer, and AvalonMiner to see what they have in store.
Cases, Frames, Cables, and More
There is no perfect way to set up a mining operation, and everybody will have a slightly different approach depending on their aims and the resources available.
But whether you have a series of gaming computers, ASICs, or a combination of each, you’ll want to be strategic about how you organize and power these machines.
Saving space and cooling your rigs are essential in the context of your living space or a designated environment.
The Best Mining Rig for the Job
A crypto mining rig can be as small as a shoebox or larger than an apartment complex. It can cost you $1000 out of pocket or require a lifetime of investment and hard work.
These matters of scale all depend on what you want to achieve by mining crypto and how much you’re willing to put into the process.
Whatever your long-term plans may be, our guide should give you the building blocks you need to get started with the ideal mining rig and learn the ropes firsthand – experience is the best teacher.
Sources:
Best Mining Rigs and PCs | TechRadar
Bitcoin Mining Hardware ASICs | Buy Bitcoin Worldwide
How to Build a Cryptomining Rig | ZDNet
How To Keep Your ASIC & GPU Mining Rigs Cooler | Coinsuggest.com