The 2016 AMD 8GB Radeon RX480 for ETH Mining
Specs:
- Algorithm: Ethash (Ethereum)
- Hashrate: Over 25 MH/s (Can go up to 29.5 MH/s)
- Power use: Up to 150 Watts
The Review:
Released in the second quarter of 2016, AMD's 8GB Radeon RX480 remains a solid choice for Ethereum mining, capable of mining up to 29.5 MH/s while consuming under 150 Watts. Without overclocking, the device can run at over 25 MH/s, consuming under 120 watts based on personal experience. Although slightly older and possessing a relatively weak overclocking potential, this GPU is able to mine well over $100.00 United States dollars worth of Ethereum in a year, provided you do not need to pay for pool or electricity fees and difficulty does not change significantly. Even if you have to pay electricity fees of $0.07 US/KWh, assuming you consistently ran at 150 watts, you would be paying just over 90.00 US dollars per year, resulting in a small net profit. In other words, if you have to pay for power or pay for expensive power, the break-even point could be quite far away.
One major complaint I have for this card is the fan. While AMD's default fan settings are set to reduce noise, it leave the GPU quite hot, which is not very optimal for mining and can cause damage. However, the fan settings can be changed to go around this problem. At 80% fan speed, the device was over 70 Degrees Celsius. At 100% fan speed, the temperature was lower by about 3 degrees, but it was considerably louder.
This device can also be used to mine ZCash, Ethereum Classic, Monero, etc.
While I wouldn't recommend this GPU for those interested in mining as there are more powerful GPUs like the Radeon R9 295x2 which can mine at up to 46 MH/s, the RX480 is still a decent and cheaper choice. The device was sold for about $229.00 US at launch, but back then, this device could mine a lot more ETH due to the significantly lower difficulty. It can still be found new and used on online buy-and-sell platforms like Amazon and eBay.
Disclaimer:
I am not in any way affiliated with AMD or any other computer/crypto/crypto-related companies. All of my comparisons and reviews are based on personal experience. Experiences with devices may differ from person to person.
Remember, investments in cryptocurrencies are like any other investment: Invest only what you can afford to lose. No investment is a guarantee.
