How to choose an Nvidia GPU for crypto mining
No single Nvidia GPU is best for crypto mining; Ampere and Ada differ in VRAM, efficiency, and LHR limits. Ethereum GPU mining ended in 2022.
Vahe HakobyanEditor-in-chief
Updated Oct 6, 20263 min readFact-checked
On this page
- Algorithm, VRAM, power, and electricity cost decide mining fit.
- Ampere and Ada Lovelace differ in VRAM and power efficiency.
- Ethereum's September 2022 Merge ended GPU mining for ether.
No single Nvidia GPU is best for cryptocurrency mining. Ampere and Ada Lovelace differ in VRAM size, power efficiency, and LHR limits, and the algorithm, memory, power, and cost decide the fit.
How Nvidia Mining GPUs Compare
Ampere and Ada Lovelace are Nvidia generations, not single cards. They differ in VRAM size and power efficiency, and some Ampere cards shipped with LHR.
Which VRAM Size Fits Which Coins?
VRAM is the memory on a graphics card, and mining software loads the algorithm's dataset into it. More VRAM lets Ampere or Ada cards run memory heavy algorithms, while less VRAM limits them to lighter ones.
How Power Efficiency Changes Mining Returns
Power efficiency measures how much mining work a card does for each watt of electricity. Ampere and Ada cards can run the same algorithm, but Ada usually does more work per watt, and that difference helps decide mining returns.
Do LHR and Drivers Limit Nvidia Mining?
LHR, or Lite Hash Rate, limited Ethereum mining on some Ampere cards. Ada Lovelace cards generally did not ship with LHR. Drivers can affect hashrate on both generations, and some LHR bypasses were not guaranteed.
How Ethereum's Merge Changed GPU Mining
Ethereum switched from proof of work to proof of stake in September 2022, an upgrade called the Merge. Ether mining drove demand for Ampere cards before it, but after the Merge GPU mining for ether ended.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, if undamaged. Check temperatures, fan noise, and artifacts.
It can. Warranty terms vary by maker and region.
No single number exists; it changes with algorithm, card, VRAM, and power limit.
Yes. Laptop GPUs have lower power limits and less cooling.
