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Bitcoin mining is the processing of transactions that take place using Bitcoin on the blockchain. For most of us, acquiring Bitcoin is as simple as signing up at Luno for a Bitcoin wallet and purchasing as many as you can afford. But there is also the option of mining Bitcoin. Taking up Bitcoin mining can prove to be very profitable with Bitcoins awarded to the miner per block for their efforts. Therefore, this has resulted in many Bitcoin and crypto fanatics wanting to get started, but to do so, you need to have the correct PC hardware.
One of the first things to select, or even construct yourself as a Bitcoin miner is a case or a frame. At times this can be forgotten about or overlooked by those new to the scene, but it’s a crucial part of the setup as it will save a lot of time and money further down the line. All the key components in a mining setup always need proper ventilation. Otherwise, they will burn out quickly, and this could lead to further damage. A good case or frame will also provide ease of access so anything which has broken or stopped working can be replaced easily, while it is even easier to clear away dust when necessary.
With the aim being to be able to attach and run as many GPUs as possible for mining purposes, having a motherboard which is capable of this is crucial. Some people will think the motherboard they need should be all about raw power and performance, but it is stability which trumps everything. A motherboard from a recognised gaming manufacturer should suffice, but there are also custom-made motherboards which have BIOS tweaks active available to buy.
Next up is the CPU, and again it is stability which is the key ingredient here. There may be a temptation to overclock or to activate technical custom configurations, but there is no need. A good, multi-core CPU will more than suffice in a mining setup, and 6-8 GBs of DRAM will be adequate for the task at hand.
Perhaps the most important parts of PC hardware for Bitcoin mining are the onboard GPUs, and yes, you will need several. In most cases, it’s the more GPUs, the better when it comes to Bitcoin mining, and at the time of writing you are better off paying top-end prices for high-end parts which have been made by the likes of AMD and Nvidia. It’s always better to buy new where graphics cards are concerned. GPUs which have been used for mining purposes previously will have suffered as a result.
As well as investing heavily where graphics cards are concerned, you’ll have to do the same when it comes to power supply too. Multi-GPU setups will, of course, need a lot of power to run them so the cost can be high. You shouldn’t attempt to penny-pinch with power supply because cheap components can lead to severe problems occurring. So, again you should look to purchase power supplies which are gold plated and have the correct safety measures in place for your setup.
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I am interested in all things technology, especially automation, robotics and tech that helps change how society will live in the future.