The theory that Intel may be working on Bitcoin mining hardware is given more credibility by a recent interview with Raja Koduri, Intel’s Systems and Graphics architect, senior vice president, and general manager.

Although Intel hasn’t revealed much since then, it seems that the chip may have been in the works this whole time, and the company may be getting ready to present it. The company patented a specialized SHA 256-optimized ASIC in 2018 that was aimed at mining Bitcoin. A quick glance at Bitmain’s website shows dozens of ASICs, with some priced at well over $10,000.Īs Tom’s Hardware reports, Intel’s interest in Bitcoin mining is not new. When it comes to purchasing one of them from companies like Bitmain, both the price and the delivery times are quite high. It’s worth noting that the cost reduction comes in the form of higher efficiency and lower power requirements of the ASICs in question. As companies like Bitmain have proven, ASICs are able to deliver the power required for mining at a lower cost.

While it may be the graphics cards that get the bad rep, Bitcoin is usually mined on ASICs: Specialized chips designed to only perform one specific task. The company may be looking to compete against similar ASICs, such as those made by Bitmain, in a sector of the market that centers around Bitcoin mining.

The processor is described as an “ultra-low-voltage, energy-efficient Bitcoin (BTC) mining application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC),” and it seems like it may signal a new step into mining hardware for Intel. The conference is centered around solid-state circuits and systems on a chip (SoCs.) Intel is scheduled to deliver a presentation in the Highlighted Chip Releases category, with the purpose of showing the new Bonanza Mine processor. Tom’s Hardware has suggested that Intel may be unveiling the chip during the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC), which will take place in February.

However, the rumors suggest that Intel may be working on a specialized mining chip it refers to as Bonanza Mine. In fact, many attribute the ongoing GPU shortage, in part, to Ethereum mining, as the cards sell out before any regular users can get their hands on them. Often, it’s graphics cards that are associated with mining cryptocurrency. The powerful chip would be used only for crypto mining and wouldn’t present any value to casual users. Fitbit Versa 3īitcoin mining is a controversial topic, but it seems that Intel may join the fray by releasing a chip designed specifically for that.Īccording to the latest rumors, Intel may be about to unveil a “Bonanza Mine” chip.

Mac video card for bitcoin mining