Nvidia could make the world's fastest cryptocurrency mining GPU

(Image credit: Yevhen Vitte / Shutterstock)

Gaming graphics cards like the GeForce RTX 3080 are being snapped up and put to use in cryptomining rigs thanks to the ongoing Etherium boom, but mining-optimized GPUs may be able to help leave some cards on the shelves for gamers and PC builders.

We're hearing reports that Nvidia might be creating a new, ultra-powered Crypto Mining Processor (CMP) based on its Ampere A100 GPU, the first Ampere-based model to be designed solely for compute workloads rather than gaming.

Nvidia isn't shying away from providing hardware to mining enthusiasts, having recently announced an upcoming new line of CMPs, though these cards will be based on older Turing architecture.

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I mean we will meet a new CMP HX card based on A100.March 21, 2021

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This rumored information was initially provided by Twitter user Kopite7kimi, who has provided reliable leaks in the past. He claims that Nvidia will introduce a fifth CMP HX model with said GPU, and that the A100 is a “mining monster”, though did not share any hash rates or mining performance figures to back up his claims.

The lack of evidence doesn't mean we should dismiss Kopite's claims, though as with all unsubstantiated rumors – don't take anything as gospel.

This isn't entirely unexpected given Nvidia's attempts to navigate mining enthusiasts away from gaming GPUs, having severely curbed the crypto mining capabilities of graphics cards like the GeForce RTX 3060. As all currently confirmed CMP cards are still based on Turning architecture, some miners may still feel compelled to purchase powerful cards like the GeForce RTX 3090.

The RTX 3090 can achieve an average mining performance of 115-120 MH/s in 1ethereum using the Daggerhashimotto algorithm, while Nvidia's current fastest HX CMP GPU to be officially announced is the 90HX which has a mining performance of 86 MH/s.

Any CMP built using the A100 architecture will likely dominate the numbers of any current product available, but there are concerns surrounding availability and price. If these dedicated mining cards are unaffordable (or unavailable due to low inventory) then it would still make sense to source existing gaming-optimized GPUs.

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Via: Wccftech

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Jess is a former TechRadar Computing writer, where she covered all aspects of Mac and PC hardware, including PC gaming and peripherals. She has been interviewed as an industry expert for the BBC, and while her educational background was in prosthetics and model-making, her true love is in tech and she has built numerous desktop computers over the last 10 years for gaming and content creation. Jess is now a journalist at The Verge.