PLEASE NOTE: the guide below was written back when Litecoin mining was profitable. I recommend my 6 GPU Ethereum Mining Rig Guide as it is more recently updated (2017) and utilizes newer graphics card and build options. Happy Mining!
I’m writing this on April 1st, 2013; April Fools Day! Some folks consider crypto-currencies to be Fool’s Gold. Here’s a story that paints some irony into this thought. Last night, I traded roughly 75% of my bitcoin currency (I feel like it is a peaking bubble, but who knows?) for Litecoin when it was trading at a USD equivalent of 79 cents. As I write this first post, the value of Litecoin in US currency is $1.89 (over a 2x appreciation in value). But, enough on my personal experiences with this new form of currency. Here is the mining hardware I use to mine for bitcoins and litecoins utilizing the latest information on GPU mining available.
Please Note: if you’re looking to build one of these bitcoin/litecoin mining rigs for yourself, please use the Budget Litecoin Mining Rig Guide or 4x 7970/7950 Litecoin Mining Rig Guide instead of this list, since several of these components are now overpriced or no longer available. This was my first rig, so I’ve opted to leave it up for reference and as part of my litecoin mining journey. Thanks! – Josh
Mining Hardware Build List
- Case – $0 – Who needs a case? The best computer case for coin mining is no case.
- PSU – $209 – Seasonic X-1250 80PLUS Gold Certified Power Supply Unit
- Motherboard – $180 – MSI AM3 Motherboard 890FXA-GD70
- CPU – $70 – AMD Athlon II X4 Socket AM3 Processor (a little overkill, but better for reuse/resale)
- GPU’s – $280/EA – 4 Radeon 7950 Graphics Cards (these are on sale for only $300 + $20 rebate = $280)
- RAM $35 – 4 GB Corsair DDR3 RAM
- HDD $0 – Had an old SATA laptop drive kicking around
- Extra Cooling – $30 – Box Fan (seriously, this is the best cooling for an open rig mining operation)
- OS – $0 – Windows 7 (I have a Microsoft annual subscription)
- Monitor, Mouse and Keyboard (to install the OS and configure the mining software)
TOTAL COST : $1,765 for a 2.2 GH/s Custom Mining Rig
Putting it all Together
- Unbox and Unwrap all components
- Install CPU onto motherboard
- Insert RAM into slots
- Install all GPU cards ensuring enough airflow between cards for heat dissipation
- Connect hard drive to motherboard via SATA cable
- Plug in all necessary power supply plugs (don’t forget the GPU’s.. those guys need power!)
- Connect crossfire cables daisy-chaining the GPU’s together
- Connect mouse, monitor and keyboard and an internet connection (I used a USB WiFi adapter)
- Check all connections once more
- Fire it up! Install the OS if needed. Install Graphics card drivers. Install mining software. Make sure fans are doing their job. Fire up the mining software. Get rich! 🙂 OK, that last part might not happen, but hey, this is a hobby right?
Photo of Quad 7950 GPU Mining Rig
In case you’re curious about that white object above the cards, it is an O2 Cool Portable Fan that forces air between the very crowded cards.
Comments:
Here is some of the reasoning behind the choices I made while building this mining rig:
- All parts can be sold / reassigned for other uses should mining become unprofitable at anytime in the future.
- The GPU’s were chosen for their cost-to-hashing ratio. There are definitely faster cards out their, but the premium isn’t worth it IMHO. Also, top end cards tend to depreciate faster (kind of like cars do).
Sidenote: If mining isn’t your thing, and you are just interested in purchasing some cryptocurrency as part of your investment portfolio, I personally use and recommend Voyager. Trade $100 on the platform, and receive $25 of Bitcoin FREE.
