GPU Mining – Part 1 – Acquiring the Hardware

1. Acquiring the Hardware

Modern graphics cards with powerful cooling are the heart of a mining farm.
Before you start mining, you need to select the right hardware.

Depending on your entry scenario (1 GPU or 6 GPUs), the requirements differ significantly.
Below, you’ll find structured recommendations for both scenarios:

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🧠 GPU (Graphics Card)

The GPU performs the actual mining work. For popular coins like Kaspa (KAS) or Ethereum Classic (ETC),
the following models have proven to be efficient:

• NVIDIA: RTX 3060 Ti, 3070, 3080
• AMD: RX 6700 XT

💡 The RX 6700 XT offers a good ratio of hashrate to power consumption and is very efficient in operation.
Beginners can also use second-hand cards like the GTX 1660 Super or RTX 2060.

Important: At least 6 GB VRAM – the current ETC-DAG already requires ~3.9 GB (and growing).

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🧩 Motherboard

• For 1 GPU, a standard motherboard with 1× PCIe x16 (e.g., B450, H610) is sufficient.
• For 6 GPUs, you’ll need special mining motherboards with many PCIe slots or PCIe risers.

We explicitly recommend using motherboards like the ASRock H510 Pro BTC+. When using risers, there can be power surges
for which the HDD connectors on the power supply are not designed. Fire hazard!

Recommendation*:

• ASRock H510 Pro BTC+ (6 slots)
• Biostar TB360-BTC PRO (6 slots)

In the BIOS, "Above 4G Decoding" must be enabled when using more than 4 GPUs.

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⚡ Power Supply (PSU)

A stable power supply is essential for uninterrupted long-term operation:

• Beginners: 500–650 W, 80+ Gold certified
• 6-GPU rig: 1200–1500 W total output or 2× 750 W using a dual-PSU adapter

🔒 80% rule: A 1200 W PSU should run at no more than ~960 W continuous load.

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🧱 Rig Frame / Case

• 1 GPU: ATX PC case with good ventilation
• 6 GPUs: Open metal mining rig frame

Advantages of open rigs:

• Higher air circulation
• Easier maintenance
• More space for cooling and cables

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🌬️ Cooling

• 1 GPU: Standard cooler + 1–2 case fans are usually enough
• 6 GPUs: Additional 120 mm / 140 mm fans mounted on the rig

💡 More tips:

• Place the rig in a well-ventilated room
• Optional: undervolting, replace thermal paste, use air filters

🎯 Target temperatures:

• GPU core: below 70 °C
• Memory: important to monitor with Ethash (can be critical)

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💾 RAM and Storage

• RAM: 4–8 GB is sufficient (Windows: better 8 GB)
• Storage: SSD with 120 GB is enough

SSDs are more reliable, silent, and energy-efficient.
Virtual RAM (swap) of ~24 GB should be enabled.

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📊 Comparison Table: Beginner vs. Advanced

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✅ Conclusion

Choosing the right hardware is crucial for long-term mining success.
A good combination of efficiency, stability, and cooling ensures your setup pays for itself quickly and runs reliably.

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