Skip to content

Bitcoin accepted at checkout  |  Ships from Laval, QC, Canada  |  Expert support since 2016

1325 Rue Bergar, Laval, QC support@d-central.tech 1-855-753-9997 Mon-Fri: 8:30 - 18:00

The Next Generation of Bitcoin Mining Hardware

The Bitcoin mining landscape is undergoing its most significant hardware transition since the shift from 7nm to 5nm process nodes. With efficiency breaking below 10 J/TH for the first time, 2026 marks the beginning of the sub-10 joule era. Here is everything we know about the miners that will define the next epoch.

Bitmain Antminer S23 Family

Bitmain S23 lineup launched in January 2026, delivering a generational leap over the S21 series. The air-cooled S23 hits 318 TH/s at 11 J/TH, while the hydro models push into petahash territory.

S23 Models at a Glance

Model Hashrate Power Efficiency Cooling
S23 318 TH/s 3,498W 11 J/TH Air (4 fans)
S23 IMM 442 TH/s 5,304W 12 J/TH Immersion
S23 Hyd 580 TH/s 5,510W 9.5 J/TH Hydro
S23e Hyd 2U 865 TH/s 8,650W 10 J/TH Hydro 2U
S23 Hyd 3U 1,160 TH/s 11,020W 9.5 J/TH Hydro 3U

The S23 Hyd 3U is the first single-unit miner to break 1 PH/s, delivering 1,160 TH/s at a remarkable 9.5 J/TH. Third-party firmware (BraiinsOS+, VNish) is not yet supported as of March 2026.

Block Proto Rig

Block Inc. (formerly Square) entered mining hardware with the Proto Rig — a modular, open-architecture miner featuring a custom 3nm ASIC co-designed with ePIC Blockchain Technologies.

Spec Value
Hashrate 819 TH/s
Power 12,000W (3× 4,000W PSU)
Efficiency 14.652 J/TH
ASIC Custom Block/Proto 3nm
Cooling Air-cooled, 6 fans
Architecture 9 individually swappable hashboards

What makes the Proto Rig stand out is its modular design: 9 hashboards that can be replaced tool-free, plus Proto Fleet, a free and open-source fleet management platform with native Stratum V2 support. Core Scientific is the first large customer, with an estimated 15 EH/s deployment.

While its 14.65 J/TH efficiency trails Bitmain, the open design philosophy and SV2 integration represent a meaningful shift in mining hardware design.

Auradine Teraflux Series

Auradine, a Silicon Valley startup with over $300M in funding, has emerged as a serious competitor with its custom-designed mining ASICs. The current Teraflux generation ships today, with a next-gen lineup targeting sub-10 J/TH efficiency by Q3 2026.

Current Generation (Shipping Now)

Model Hashrate Efficiency Cooling
AT2880 260 TH/s ~17 J/TH Air
AH3880 600 TH/s 14.5 J/TH Hydro
AI3680 375 TH/s ~15 J/TH Immersion

Next Generation (Q2-Q3 2026)

Model Hashrate Efficiency (Eco Mode)
Next-gen Air 240-310 TH/s 9.8 J/TH
Next-gen Hydro 600-900 TH/s 9.8 J/TH

Auradine’s proprietary EnergyTune dynamic optimization and FluxOS firmware with native SV2 support make these miners particularly interesting for operators focused on efficiency and decentralization. They also sell standalone ASIC chips to third parties including Marathon Digital (MARA) and FutureBit.

Intel BZM2 and the 256 Foundation

The Intel BZM2 (Bonanza Mine 2) chip represents a unique niche: it is the only freely available mining ASIC in volume, being distributed through the 256 Foundation to open-source hardware builders.

Spec Value
Process Intel 7nm
Die size 14.16 mm²
Hashrate/chip 137 GH/s
Power/chip ~2.5W
Efficiency 26 J/TH

At 26 J/TH, the BZM2 is not competitive for commercial mining. However, its significance lies in enabling the open-source mining ecosystem. The 256 Foundation is distributing 256,000 BZM2 chips and building an entire open-source stack around them:

For those who value decentralization and open hardware over raw efficiency, this ecosystem is the most promising development in mining.

Comparison: Next-Gen vs. Current Gen

Miner Generation Hashrate Power Efficiency Status
S21 Pro Current 234 TH/s 3,510W 15.0 J/TH Shipping
M66S Current 298 TH/s 5,364W 18.0 J/TH Shipping
S23 Next-gen 318 TH/s 3,498W 11.0 J/TH Shipping (Jan 2026)
S23 Hyd Next-gen 580 TH/s 5,510W 9.5 J/TH Shipping (Jan 2026)
S23 Hyd 3U Next-gen 1,160 TH/s 11,020W 9.5 J/TH Shipping (Jan 2026)
Block Proto Next-gen 819 TH/s 12,000W 14.65 J/TH Shipping (Nov 2025)
Auradine AT2880 Current 260 TH/s ~4,420W ~17 J/TH Shipping
Auradine Next-gen Next-gen 240-310 TH/s TBD 9.8 J/TH Q2-Q3 2026
Intel BZM2 Open-source 137 GH/s/chip 2.5W/chip 26 J/TH Distribution

The Efficiency Race: Where We Stand

The efficiency trajectory tells the story of an industry in acceleration:

In six years, the industry has cut energy consumption per terahash by nearly 70%. The sub-10 J/TH barrier has been broken, and we expect continued improvements as TSMC 3nm and 2nm nodes mature for mining applications.

What This Means for Miners

For industrial operators: The S23 Hydro models and Block Proto offer unprecedented density. A single S23 Hyd 3U replaces five S19 Pros while using less total power.

For home miners: The air-cooled S23 at 318 TH/s and 3,498W is the clear upgrade path from S19/S21 series. Wait for third-party firmware support before purchasing if you rely on BraiinsOS+ or VNish.

For the decentralization-minded: The 256 Foundation ecosystem (BZM2 + Ember One + Mujina) and Block Proto Fleet software represent the first real open-source alternatives to closed manufacturer stacks.

At D-Central, we are actively testing these new platforms and will update our profitability calculator and miner database as we get hands-on with each unit.

Related products, repair, and setup paths

Last reviewed June 9, 2026.