GPU Mining vs. ASIC Mining — What’s the Difference?

The word ‘mining‘ took a completely different meaning when Bitcoin entered the scene about 11 years ago. Since then, cryptocurrencies have gained and established their space in the market. With technological advancements and continuous research on bitcoin mining, the industry has a promising future. Whether you are a seasoned crypto miner or are simply starting, you may at one point wondered which mining rigs to consider between GPU and ASIC miner. These two choices are the most preferred hardware we have today. While both GPU and ASIC models use sophisticated algorithms in calculating hash and generating cryptocurrency rewards, there is a considerable difference between them. This difference highly depends on the type of miner, how they work, efficiency, and power consumption.

The evolution of crypto mining hardware

Initially, Bitcoin and other coins could easily be mined using computers. The major hardware required was a computer with adequate processing power. However, that changed over time as crypto mining grew popular. Bitcoin mining became more challenging, and the average computer could no longer support the increased hash rate. You can still mine using a standard laptop, but the profits will be too little when you deduct the amount of power and the cost of electricity. To engage themselves in more profitable mining, miners had to find more efficient and robust hardware, and that’s where GPUs entered the field.

The first GPUs were considered authoritative and widely accepted in crypto mining, and they virtually wiped out CPUs and are still being used today. In 2013, developers came up with another super-powerful mining hardware known as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). This mining equipment became a popular alternative to GPUs.

GPU mining and ASIC mining–the difference

Both ASICs and GPUs are excellent options to go for when finding powerful hardware to mine. However, the choice of which mining rig set up to use heavily depends on the miner. As a miner, you need to establish your needs, goals, and preferences. Sometimes it is your budget that determines which hardware you will walk home with. It also boils down to the coins you want to mine, the preferred location for your device (office or home), and the adaptability that makes all the difference. While GPUs are particularly versatile, ASICs are designed to mine and only mine. Nothing else. A good look at the two options shows their strengths and weaknesses. Their specifications and functionality will help you decide which option works best for you as a miner. A good rule of the thumb, however, is that GPUs are fast, but ASICs are faster.

ASIC mining

ASIC mining is algorithm-specific. That means that it is specifically designed to only mine one kind of coin. The first version of ASIC was designed to mine bitcoins only, but that has changed over the years, and the chip now accommodates several other currencies.

Here are a few highlights of ASIC mining:

• They are power efficient
• They are super powerful as they are algorithm-specific
• No hard technical, you just need to plug in and mine
• They are more profitable in the currency they mine, but profitability declines as the difficulty increases
• Pretty expensive to purchase

From the highlights, ASICs are designed to mine a specific coin. Currently, ASICs mainly mine bitcoins, litecoins, and Dash. Their supreme computational power, which is designed to perform a single task makes it more efficient than its counterpart, the GPU. They’re hands-off, meaning that they don’t need additional intervention or regular monitoring. The type of ASIC miner you choose determines the efficiency and profits. Otherwise, ASICs enjoy some pretty basic plug and play set up that even a beginner can handle.

GPU mining

Graphics processing unit or GPU mining is a basic chip that can be found in any desktop computer or laptop. Since they are used to process large files and involve graphic actions, they are more versatile and robust to handle any sophisticated algorithm or calculations required in cryptocurrency mining.

Here are a few highlights of GPU mining:

• Can be used to mine any cryptocurrency hash algorithm
• The setup is not straightforward and may require cooling considerations and motherboard sizes.
• Can be used to perform other computing tasks other than mining
• Can be used or resold for video game
• Can be expensive but with a higher resale value

GPU mining has been dominating the cryptocurrency scene for some years now, and there is no doubt that the trend may continue. Its flexibility and agility make it ideal for mining Ethereum, Monero, and other types of coins swiftly or even mine them at the same time. A GPU mining rig offers you that flexibility to mine better and more profitable coins in a changing volatile market when the Difficulty increases. If you are mining from home, you may want to go for a quieter model to reduce the noise level. A GPU is more powerful than a standard office or home computer, which makes it a perfect method for mining even at night.

Final thoughts

While both ASIC mining and GPU mining have clear advantages to miners, each choice has a unique strength that outshines the counterpart. For instance, ASICs are unquestionably more profitable than GPUs. Since they are optimized for a specific cryptocurrency, ASICs are designed to exclusively mine with utmost efficiency, hence making more profits. ASIC mining dominates every currency it comes across, rendering GPU mining profitability almost null. GPU mining is also relatively cheaper compared to ASIC mining. The cryptocurrency industry is exploding; the volatile nature of the currencies requires you to think critically before making a decision. What currency do you want to mine? Where to mine and what’s your budget? Such questions can help you come up with a reasonable choice.