12 Best Ethereum Miners for Maximum Profits

In this article, we introduce Ethereum mining and explore the best Ethereum miners on the market.

When Bitcoin was first introduced to the world, people saw that Blockchain technology has the potential to change each and every industry. And this is how Ethereum was born.

Ethereum is a blockchain-based platform that allows users to create decentralized applications (dApps) and deploy “smart” payment contracts. 

Where Bitcoin aims to eliminate banking and traditional payment methods, Ethereum tries to facilitate the exchange of money, content, property, shares, or anything of value through the use of smart contracts. 

Also, similarly to Bitcoin mining, Ethereum mining is based on PoW. This means that miners receive Ethereum as a reward for having their nodes solve complex mathematical problems on the Ethereum Blockchain. 

However, unlike Bitcoin, the best Ethereum miners are much more accessible to the public. 

Considering that Ethereum is the second-largest cryptocurrency and can still be mined using consumer-grade hardware, it presents a great opportunity for crypto enthusiasts. 

Before we delve into the details of what makes the best Ethereum miner, let’s first clarify whether or not Ethereum mining is a venture you might wanna look into. 

Why should you be mining ETH?

The goal of mining is to generate new Ether (ETH). Even though this might be the main incentive for miners, the process has another crucial role. 

Without mining, the Ethereum Blockchain would simply not be able to function. Miners power up the network by solving the mathematical problems that confirm transactions.

Simply put, mining Ether equals to a secure and well-functioning network.

Also, in order to use the Ethereum blockchain and deploy smart contracts, developers need to use Ether (ETH) as fuel. As such, mining is a good way for developers to acquire the needed fuel to run their dapps on the Blockchain.

Another reason to mine ETH would be its inherent value. Ethereum’s price seems to have stabilized in the 180-200 USD range in the past year (2019). This price stability makes it a reliable cryptocurrency to mine.

In short, the biggest incentives to mine ETH are summarized as follows: 

• Ethereum has real-world applications by providing smart contracts and the ability to create decentralized applications. Mining provides the fuel (ETH) to run applications on the Ethereum Blockchain. 
• ETH is a popular cryptocurrency and can be easily converted into Bitcoin or hard cash.
• Building a good position in Ethereum now will deliver interest on your holdings when the consensus ultimately shifts to a proof-of-stake system. 

Now that we have a good idea of the background of Ethereum mining, let’s take a look at how the Ethereum mining process actually works and how you can take part in it. 

How does Ethereum mining work?

When a transaction is executed on the blockchain, this is what essentially happens:

• Transactions are bundled together into blocks
• Miners verify these transactions by solving math equations
• A reward is offered to the miner that solves the last math equation of the block
• Verified transactions are stored in the public ledger

As previously stated, Ethereum mining is very similar to Bitcoin’s. It is based on a proof-of-work process that awards newly created Ether to the miners when they solve a new block. 

Its uniqueness lies in the mining algorithm and hardware that is used for solving mathematical problems. 

Where Bitcoin uses the SHA-256 algorithm, Ethereum uses the Ethash proof-of-work algorithm. This algorithm has been designed to be ASIC-resistant. 

Ethereum miners use the processing power of their graphical processing units (GPUs) to solve the cryptographic puzzles instead of the much more expensive ASIC miners that are used for Bitcoin mining. 

This also means that mining rigs aren’t interchangeable between Bitcoin and Ethereum, although there is a variety of cryptocurrencies that can be mined with GPUs.

Without going into too much technical detail, what you need to know is that these mathematical problems are difficult to solve. This difficulty is measured by hash rate, a unit that we will be talking about when we are trying to determine the best Ethereum miners.

To avoid the creation of too many ETH tokens, this difficulty is dynamically adjusted. The more participating miners, the harder it is to solve the blocks.  

Essentially, the bigger the hash rate of the GPU, the higher the potential to receive the rewards. 

But this is only one of many parts that you need to consider when choosing the best GPU for mining Ethereum. Here are a few more:

• Since mining uses a lot of electricity, you will need to choose a power-efficient GPU, that is still powerful enough to mine effectively.
• You will need to analyze the initial investment and how long it will take for you to start profiting. 

So now that we have explained the basics of Ethereum mining, let’s see what you need to get started. 

Getting started with Ethereum mining

First of all, we need to check out the prerequisites for any Ethereum mining venture which are split in two categories:

Software Requirements for ETH Mining

Let’s look at the software requirements for Ethereum mining.

Requirement #1: An Ethereum Wallet

First and foremost, you need to create a digital wallet where you will be storing your Ethereum. MyEtherWallet (or MEW) is the most popular one and is very easy to set up.  A hardware wallet like the ones we’ve reviewed in this previous article is a great alternative, and it can even be linked with MEW for additional security.

Requirement #2: Installing Geth

Before you start communicating with the Ethereum blockchain, you will need to install Geth. This is open-source software that is available for almost any operating system out there.

Geth will serve as a communication hub. I will link you to the Ethereum network while coordinating your hardware. It will also report any new development that requires action on your part. 

If you’ve never used Geth before, we advise you to check out this handy guide. It will help you get started with the installation and configuration of the Geth client on your mining rig. 

Requirement #3: Installing Ethminer (or any other mining software)

After installing Geth you will need to install Ethash mining software. Ethminer is one of the most popular ones and is regularly updated. Follow the instructions on their Github page to get started. 

Well, that’s pretty much it. It seems pretty simple, right? 

Once these two requirements are met, you can safely say that you are ready to start mining your first Ethereum at least when it comes to the software side of things. 

Hardware Requirements for Ether mining hardware

Other than the aforementioned GPUs, you will need the basic components of every PC:

• Motherboard
• CPU
• RAM
• Hard Disk
• Power Supply

Aside from that, having a stable internet connection is also a must. We recommend that you don’t rely on wireless connections but instead connect your machine directly to the modem/router with an ethernet cable. 

Additionally, you might want to add more than just one GPU to your setup. This will increase the hash rate of your mining rig. Keep in mind that all this will not only increase the starting price but also the power consumption of your mining hardware. This means that you will have to invest in a more powerful power supply (PSU) which is also pricier. 

For example, if your GPU drains 300W of power and your PSU supports 500W, you won’t be able to add another GPU. You will, in this case, need to upgrade to a PSU that supports at least 700W, considering the power drain from the other components in your rig as well. 

Furthermore, not only does mining consume electricity, but it also generates a lot of heat. For that, you will need to ventilate and cool them efficiently, which will add up on your electricity bill.

There are different Ethereum profit calculators that will help you determine at what rate you should get your investment back and start making profits. 

All in all, the basic hardware requirements for Ethereum mining are common and pretty easy to find in most computer stores. You should be able to easily set up a config without too much trouble. 

Setting up a mining rig might seem a little expensive, but you need to understand that you are trying to invest in a passive income source that should generate profit very soon. 

Before you make your first purchase of hardware, let’s go through the basics of Ethereum mining rewards and what they mean for an aspiring miner like yourself. 

How do Ethereum mining rewards look like?

When miners successfully solve a block on the Ethereum blockchain, they receive 2 ETH. The time required to mine one block is about 15 seconds, tallying the total of newly created Ether to about:

• 8 ETH per minute
• 480 ETH per hour
• or 11520 ETH per day

These numbers reflect the new Ethers that are created by mining a new block and do not include the additional ETH that miners receive for transaction confirmations. 

Ethereum mining pools

In order to ensure that your mining is profitable, it might be worth joining a mining pool. 

Why a mining pool? Well, solo mining is an obsolete technique and the chances of getting any kind of reward are slim to none. 

Cryptocurrency mining is very competitive, and you will be setting yourself up against huge mining pools. As their combined hash rate will inevitably be much higher than yours, getting the ETH reward for a block before them will be akin to winning the lottery. 

As such, mining pools are your best bet to certain profits. Ethermine and Nanopool are two of the most popular mining pools that you might want to consider joining. 

Having said that, let’s move on to Ethereum miners.

ETH Mining Hardware: What to Consider?

As we previously mentioned, you will first need to invest in the following:

• The Motherboard –  you will need to acquire a motherboard that supports the number of GPUs you want to set up in your rig. The more GPUs you have, the higher your hash rate will be. 
• The CPU – no need to go crazy here, the basic CPU of your motherboard chipset should be fine. 99% of the work will be done by your GPUs anyway. 
• Storage – a small hard disk that will allow you to install the operating system of your choice plus the mining software should suffice. Aim for something around 50Gbs. 
• RAM – no need for speedy memory either, anything that meets the minimum requirements of your OS should do. 
• The PSU (power supply unit) – this is something that you need to adapt according to the number of GPUs in your rig and their combined power draw. Unlike the other components in your mining, you can’t really go cheap on this as it will be the juice that drives your GPUs.  

With these covered, let’s move on to the characteristics that you need to be analyzing when choosing the most interesting part of your rig, the GPUs: 

• Hashrate – This is the processing power of your GPU. Higher is always better. 
• Power Draw – This is the power that your GPU needs to function. It will be imperative to know this parameter as it will help you choose the right PSU and allow you to calculate how much electricity you will be using. 
• Hardware Cost – In order to choose the best GPU for mining Ethereum, you must factor in its initial cost. The graphics card will be the most expensive part of your mining rig, and a decisive factor in its rentability in the long term.

Additionally, your GPU must have a minimum of 4Gbs of RAM or it won’t be able to mine Ethereum. This is due to the memory heavy DAG file present in the ethash algorithm, which actually makes it ASIC resistant.

All of these parameters, plus a couple of others, like the electricity cost and the mining difficulty, should allow you to fill out those Ethereum profit calculators and get a good idea on when your rig will start turning out a profit. 

Let’s put this knowledge to good use and find the best GPU for mining Ethereum within your budget. 

Top 12 Best Ethereum Mining Hardware for 2021

One thing to keep in mind is that usually, AMD cards are overall better than their NVIDIA counterparts for Ethereum mining, especially within the same price range. 

While this is certainly true, the efficiency of AMD graphics cards for Ethereum mining has made them very sought after and you might face another problem when looking for one – availability. 

That’s right, the best Ethereum miners will be often out of stock. That’s why we wanted to give you a wide array of choices to fall upon in case this happens. 

1. AMD Radeon R9 295X2

Hashrate : 46 Mh/s

Power consumption:  500w

Price: 1,300$ to 1,500$ 

This is an excellent mining card, although it’s power efficiency isn’t the best. If you are looking to build a rig with just a couple of GPUs, this might be the way to go, considering you can find it for 300$. 

2. AMD Radeon R9 HD 7990

Hashrate : 36 Mh/s

Power consumption:  375w

Price: $1,000

The R9 295X2 has a decent hash rate and is a great choice when building your mining rig. It is one of the most cost-efficient options. That is if you can find one. 

3. AMD Radeon RX 480

Hashrate : 25 Mh/s

Power consumption:  150w

Price: $150-$180

This is one of the best GPUs an Ethereum miner can get his hands on. Very low power consumption and decent hash rate make it a mining favorite. 

4. NVIDIA Geforce GTX 1070

Hashrate : 30 Mh/s

Power consumption:  100w

Price: $450-$500

The first NVIDIA card on our list, 1070 was expensive when it first hit the markets at $380. Nowadays, however, things are different. With a decent hash rate and a tiny 100w power consumption, it’s a great choice if you can find a couple of used ones in the $250 range. 

5. NVIDIA Geforce GTX 1080 Ti

Hashrate : 45 Mh/s

Power consumption:  265w

Price: $400-600

Being the fastest NVIDIA card from the 10th generation, the 1080Ti  is still expensive today. But this is a top-end card with fast memory and 11Gbs of it. 

6. NVIDIA Titan V

Hashrate : 70 Mh/s

Power consumption:  250w

Price: $2000 to $3000

Very expensive card, but if you can find a good deal on eBay or another second-hand market, you would be purchasing one of the best Ethereum miners available. 

7. AMD Radeon RX Vega 64

Hashrate : 30Mh/s

Power consumption:  210w

Price: $350

This high-bandwidth memory card can be found in the 350$ price range pre-owned. A great deal for such a fast GPU with decent power draw. 

8. AMD R9 390

Hashrate : 30 Mh/s

Power consumption:  235w

Price: $250 to $350

Even though the power consumption is a bit higher than some of its counterparts, you can purchase this GPU for as low as $250, which makes it a great investment.

9. AMD Radeon RX 580

Hashrate : 27 Mh/s

Power consumption:  185w

Price: $150 to $250

A good upgrade to the previous generation (RX480), this is an excellent option if you don’t want to risk buying pre-owned hardware. 

10. NVIDIA Geforce GTX 1660ti

Hashrate : 25 Mh/s

Power consumption:  120w

Price: from $300 to $400

Another good alternative if you want to enjoy the warranty of a new GPU, this fairly new NVIDIA card is an excellent choice. Low power consumption but still a bit expensive. 

11. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060

Hashrate : 41 Mh/s

Power consumption:  180w

Price: from $400 to $550

One of the newer NVIDIA GPUs, this card provides a great ROI considering the good ethash rate and the relatively small power consumption. 

12. Radeon VII

Hashrate : 90Mh/s

Power consumption: 300w

Price: from $600 to $800

Although at a steep price and a hefty power draw, this GPU has one of the best ethereum miners in the industry. If you can find a good deal under 700$, you should definitely consider the Radeon VII

That’s our ideal list with the best Ethereum miners currently available. And now for the verdict, our two best options and why we chose them. 

How we made our decision 

When choosing the very best Ethereum miners, we wanted to cover both higher and lower budgets.

At the decisive moment, you need to ask yourself if you are willing to pay cheaper for pre-owned graphics cards. This will build a rig that might start making profits sooner but it would also put you at risk. The cards might not function properly or break down shortly after.

Overall, it’s a personal preference, and you need to consider it when choosing the best Ethereum miner. This, in addition to all the parameters we talked about previously, made us decide on these two options: 

Best Ethereum mining hardware – The AMD Radeon VII

The Radeon VII is, no doubt, the best GPU for Ethereum mining. AMD managed to construct a card that is 2x faster than its competitors, making it a great buy. 

Pros: 

• More than double the hash rate of the NVIDIA counterparts in the same price range. 
• Quick ROI due to its hash rate.
• New cards can be bought for as little as $680.
• 2-year warranty for new miners.

Cons: 

• Pricey
• Power consumption is not the best 

Most efficient Ethereum miner – The RX 580

This card may be older, but it is still an excellent choice for ETH mining. 

Pros: 

• Good hash rate/power draw ratio
• Can be found for 150$ pre-owned, allowing you to build multiple GPU rigs for cheap

Cons: 

• Risk of buying a second-hand product with no warranty
• Can be hard to find because of how popular this GPU still is for Ethereum mining 
• New cards are almost as expensive as the NVIDIA 1660Ti

Wrapping up

And that was our take on the best Ethereum miners.

As you can see, most NVIDIA cards are more power-efficient, whereas AMD cards are cheaper to buy. So, before purchasing, you should analyze all the parameters we talked about in this article to make the most informed decision in terms of the best and fastest ROI. 

Always be on the lookout for good deals on cards and use Ethereum profit calculators to help you decide before purchasing. 

FAQs

Which is the best Ethereum miner when investing in equipment for the first time?

The Radeon VII is, no doubt, the best GPU for Ethereum mining. AMD managed to construct a card that is 2x faster than its competitors, making it a great buy.

What are some powerful energy-efficient Ethereum miners?

Energy-efficient Ethereum miners – RX 570, RX 580, RADEON RX Vega.

Is Ethereum mining profitable 2021?

Yes, mining Ethereum is still profitable – based on the mining hardware hash rate of 500.00 MH/s, electricity costs, and pool/maintenance fees provided. While mining Ethereum is still profitable as of right now. Mining profitability can change very quickly.

What is the fastest Ethereum miner?

If you are wondering what the best ETH miner is, as far as speed is concerned, you probably refer to its power to solve transactions. As such, you would need to invest in the miner with the highest Hashrate. In this case, that miner is the Radeon VII.