Experience the Process: A Comprehensive Mining Farm Tour

Finding Affordable Mining Hardware in the Current Market

As cryptocurrency mining continues to grow in popularity, miners are finding it increasingly difficult to source affordable hardware. In this article, we explore alternative ways to find inexpensive mining equipment and discuss the process of setting up a mining rig with an MSI Z170A Gaming M7 motherboard.

Difficulty in Finding Affordable GPUs and Mining Hardware

Over the past few months, the prices of GPUs and other mining hardware have been steadily increasing. Just six months ago, miners could easily find second-hand GPUs like the 580s or 1660 Ti’s for around $300. Now, these GPUs are listed for $500, making it difficult for hobbyist miners to source affordable equipment.

This increase in demand has not only affected GPUs but also mining motherboards. As a result, miners need to start looking for alternative sources to find affordable hardware that meets their needs.

Refurbished and Returned Warehouse Websites

One solution to sourcing affordable mining hardware is to look at refurbished sites and returned warehouse websites. Some examples of these include Amazon’s Returned Warehouse and Newegg’s Refurbished Site. By purchasing refurbished hardware, miners can often find great deals on equipment that is still in good working condition.

In the case of the MSI Z170A Gaming M7 motherboard, it was sourced from Newegg’s Refurbished Site for a mere $42. This motherboard boasts seven PCI slots and supports up to seven GPUs, providing a cost-effective solution for hobbyist miners.

Additional Hardware

In addition to the motherboard, other components are necessary to set up a mining rig. For the CPU, the cheapest compatible option was the i3 6100T, sourced from eBay for $60 each. A Thermaltake cooler was also purchased at a low cost. As for memory, it is still relatively affordable to source DDR4 RAM at 3200 MHz from Newegg.

Pros and Cons of Sourcing Affordable Hardware

While sourcing mining hardware from refurbished and overseas sellers can save a significant amount of money, there are some downsides to consider.

Pros

• Significant cost savings compared to purchasing brand new equipment from retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, or Micro Center.
• Ability to find compatible hardware for a fraction of the cost without compromising performance.

Cons

• Longer shipping times – In this case, the MSI Z170A Gaming M7 motherboard took around 15 days to arrive.
• Poor tracking updates – For items shipped from China, tracking updates might be scarce and inconsistent.
• Additional shipping costs – For the MSI Z170A Gaming M7 motherboard, shipping cost $65, increasing the overall expense to source the component.

Despite these drawbacks, sourcing affordable hardware is still a viable option for miners who are looking to minimize their start-up costs and allocate more funds to GPUs.

Tips for Finding Affordable Mining Hardware

To navigate the increasingly complex landscape of sourcing affordable mining equipment, consider these tips:

1. Research refurbished and returned warehouse websites for cost-effective hardware options.
2. Explore overseas options, like Alibaba, which often offers bulk purchasing options at discounted rates.
3. Be prepared for longer shipping times and potentially higher shipping costs when sourcing hardware from overseas sellers.
4. Invest time in researching compatibility between components to ensure the hardware will support the desired mining setup.

Setting Up Your Mining Rig

Once all the necessary components have been sourced, it’s time to set up the mining rig. In this example, the new MSI Z170A Gaming M7 motherboard was used to replace a malfunctioning motherboard in a Flux mining rig. With the affordable hardware sourced, miners can start to rebuild their rigs and get back to mining as soon as possible.

Conclusion

Sourcing affordable mining hardware is an essential step for hobbyist miners to remain competitive in the current market. By exploring refurbished websites, overseas options like Alibaba and utilizing refurbished hardware, miners can invest more in GPUs while keeping startup costs low. While there may be drawbacks such as longer shipping times and potentially higher shipping costs, the overall savings and increased mining capabilities can be well worth it.