Our Crypto-Mining Rig 2018 Update

Last week, we decided to build a mining rig using some of the spare hardware that was laying around in our studio. We didn’t know what to expect or whether it was worth it, but after a few weeks of mining Bitcoin and Ethereum … I can say I’m glad we did it.

Disclaimer: Every investment is a risk! Always remember to only invest what you can and are willing to lose. I’m not a professional in crypto currency, nor am I giving you any proven professional advice. Invest at your own risk.

Confused about Cryptocurrency?

Watch this video. Hopefully, it will make more sense after you watch this. It explains most of it in simple to understand terms.

We didn’t really invest in anything apart from getting an open chassis for mining, which cost us USD $50 and several PCIE (x16 to x1) riser cards ($15). The rest of the hardware was already sitting on my shelf doing nothing.

The Components

Intel Pentium G4560 7th Gen processor – http://amzn.to/2FtFkgB
BIOSTAR TB250-BTC PRO motherboard – http://amzn.to/2oMPFdZ
256GB SSD – http://amzn.to/2tlhPBI
2 x Crucial 4GB DDR4 ram – http://amzn.to/2FkYpOE
GeForce GTX 1070 – http://amzn.to/2oMIum4
GeForce GTX 1080 – http://amzn.to/2togzxA
Thermaltake 1275W PSU – http://amzn.to/2FsmSFk
Thermaltake Riing Fans – http://amzn.to/2FZKdfi
Crypto-mining Chassis – http://amzn.to/2oMJUwU
PCIE Riser Card (x16 to x1) – http://amzn.to/2G1by0M

The Mining Chassis

The mining chassis can cost anything between $50-120, depending on the quality of the product and your location. We got a really cheap one that works just fine.

As for power supply, it all depends on how many graphic cards you want use for mining. A 750-850W PSU can support up to 2-3 GPUs at most. If you want to add 4 or more GPUs, then I recommend getting a minimum of a 1000W or upwards.

The Mining Motherboard

We recommend BIOSTAR TB250-BTC PRO, it’s a 12-GPU Ready Crypto Mining Motherboard, and comes with 12 x PCIE x1 slots.

Buy the BIOSTAR TB250-BTC PRO from Amazon for only USD $145 – http://amzn.to/2oMPFdZ

More information can be found on BIOSTAR’s website.

MODEL	BIOSTAR TB250-BTC PRO
CHIPSET	Intel B250
CPU SUPPORT	Intel Core i7 LGA 1151 Processor Intel Core i5 LGA 1151 Processor Intel Core i3 LGA 1151 Processor Intel Pentium LGA 1151 Processor Intel Celeron LGA 1151 Processor Maximum CPU TDP (Thermal Design Power) : 95Watt
MEMORY	Support Dual Channel DDR4 2400/ 2133/ 1866 MHz 2 x DDR4 DIMM Memory Slot Max. Supports up to 32GB Memory * DDR4 2400 for 7th Generation IntelR Core? Processor Family
EXPANSION SLOT	1 x PCI-E x16 3.0 Slot 11 x PCI-E x1 3.0 Slot(Note: PEX1_6/7/8/9/10/11 slot are not compatible w/ ATX standard, users need extra connecting kit to install VGA card for crypto mining.)
STORAGE	6 x SATA3 Connector
USB	4 x USB 3.0 Port 1 x USB 3.0 Header 2 x USB 2.0 Port 2 x USB 2.0 Port(only 5V power, up to 1.5A) 2 x USB 2.0 Header
LAN	Realtek RTL8111H – 10/100/1000 Controller Support Super LAN Surge Protection
INTEGRATED VIDEO	By CPU model Supports DX12 Supports HDCP
CODEC	Realtek ALC887 8-Channel HD Audio Support HD Audio
REAR I/O	1 x PS/2 Mouse 1 x PS/2 Keyboard 4 x USB 3.0 Port 2 x USB 2.0 Port 2 x USB 2.0 Port(only 5V power, up to 1.5A) 1 x DVI-D Connector, resolution up to 1920 x 1200 @60Hz 1 x RJ-45 Port 3 x Audio Connector
INTERNAL I/O	1 x USB 3.0 Header 2 x USB 2.0 Header 6 x SATA3 6Gb/s Connector 1 x SATA Power Connector(for rear USB power enhancement) 1 x Front Audio Header 1 x Front Panel Header 1 x CPU Fan Header 2 x System Fan Header 1 x Serial Header 2 x PCI-E 12V 4Pin Connector(Must be installed when using for bitcoin mining.)
H/W MONITORING	CPU / System Temperature Monitoring CPU / System Fan Monitoring Smart / Manual CPU Fan Control System Voltage Monitoring
DIMENSION	ATX Form Factor Dimension: 29.5cm x 21cm ( W x L )
OS SUPPORT	Support Windows 10(x64) for Intel 7th Generation Processor ※Support Windows 7 / 8.1(x64) / 10(x64) for Intel 6th Generation Processor
BUNDLE SOFTWARE	BullGuard Smart Speed LAN(Windows 7/ 8.1 only) Intel Rapid Storage Technology
ACCESSORIES	2 x SATA Cable 1 x I/O Shield 1 x DVD Driver 1 x User Manual
FEATURES	Supports 100% Solid capacitor Supports Charger Booster Supports BIOS Online Update

Additional Cooling Fans

Fro additional cooling we added some Thermaltake Riing Fans. We had some spare ones laying around so we decided to use them. Of course any cheap 120mm fans will do just fine.

PCIE Riser Card (x16 to x1)

You’ll need 1 PCIE (x16 to x1) riser card for each graphics card you install. Just make sure you have enough PCIE or SATA power cables from the PSU.

Final Words

If you missed our recent article on how to mine Bitcoin and Ethereum – The Easiest Way, then go check it out. It will tell you how to setup an crypto currency wallet/account, install the mining software, and what to expect in terms of ROI and Risks.

It’s been fun building this crypto-mining rig. The good thing is … I’m using existing hardware which I haven’t used in a while and they’re just sitting on my shelf. The only thing which I bought is the mining chassis and the PCIE riser cards.

A couple of things to watch out for. Make sure you have adequate ventilation inside your room. Also since the mining rig is going to be on 24/7, your electricity bill be higher than normal, so don’t be surprised.

OK, I’m not going to debate on whether crypto-mining it’s right or wrong … I’ll leave that for another day. But for now, I’m putting my spare parts in to good use with this crypto-mining rig 😉

Where to Buy …

Intel Pentium G4560 7th Gen processor – http://amzn.to/2FtFkgB
BIOSTAR TB250-BTC PRO motherboard – http://amzn.to/2oMPFdZ
256GB SSD – http://amzn.to/2tlhPBI
2 x Crucial 4GB DDR4 ram – http://amzn.to/2FkYpOE
GeForce GTX 1070 – http://amzn.to/2oMIum4
GeForce GTX 1080 – http://amzn.to/2togzxA
Thermaltake 1200W PSU – http://amzn.to/2FsmSFk
Thermaltake Riing Fans – http://amzn.to/2FZKdfi
Crypto-mining Chassis – http://amzn.to/2oMJUwU
PCIE Riser Card (x16 to x1) – http://amzn.to/2G1by0M
(850W PSU is ok for 2-3 GPUs)

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