The Antminer R1 LTC Router-Miner
Specs:
- Algorithm: SCRYPT (Coins Mined: Litecoin, Dogecoin, etc.)
- Hashrate: 1.715 MH/s
- Chip: 28nm Bitmain BM1485 chip
- Power use: Under 5 Watts
The Review:
The Antminer R1 LTC Router-Miner is certainly an interesting device. With a single 28nm Bitmain chip that's also found in the Antminer L3+, the router-miner uses under 5 watts and has an advertised hashrate of about 1.715 MH/s, though my personal unit has a hashrate of about 1.5 MH/s. The device mines SCRYPT coins such as Litecoin and Dogecoin, and by default, is on a solo mining pool. However, it can be configured to mine in a larger pool though it does take a bit of time and effort. Note that with the low hashrate, the device will make about $1.50 US per year provided you do not pay for electricity nor pool fees, and mining difficulty does not change. It also has a USB port that allows for charging.
While mining is not profitable with this device, the primary function is to be a router. At launch, the $39.00 US price before shipping was quite appealing, though it is a bit more expensive than a conventional router. The device's Wi-Fi band is 2.4G and has a transmission rate of 150M. Today, this unit is no longer in production, although it can still be found on online retail sites such as Amazon and eBay for under $60.00 US.
I personally think that the concept of the Router-Miner is quite interesting, but it is little more than a novelty router that can make a few cents a week. If you're looking for a router, this is probably not your best choice. If you're looking for a miner, this is probably not your best choice either.
Disclaimer:
I am not in any way affiliated with Bitmain, or any other crypto/crypto-related company. I personally have one of these router-miners purchased in 2018 from a retailer. Today, this router-miner is no longer operating, though it was functional when I turned it off.
Remember, investments in cryptocurrencies are like any other investment: Invest only what you can afford to lose. No investment is a guarantee.
