This post is from 2017. Currently, the preferred mining GPU for Ethereum, and most every other cryptocurrency, are the Nvidia RTX 30xx series cards. And, the new Nvidia CMP card will also be making their appearance very, very soon. We are tracking up-to-date mining GPU pricing and availability, too.
Nvidia’s GTX 1070 has dominated the Ethereum GPU mining market in the past year. From a hardware investment standpoint, the 1070’s combination of price, hash rate and low power consumption pushed it to the top of the list for many miners. As 2017 progressed, two new cards hit the shelves: AMD’s VEGA 56 and VEGA 64 and Nvidia’s new, bigger, badder GTX, the 1080.
What’s Ethereum mining’s next killer GPU?
For miners, the VEGAs missed the mark. The cards were more powerful than AMD’s predecessors but not by enough to offset their thirst for power. Following driver updates and even mining-specific drivers, the VEGAs just didn’t fulfill everyone’s hope for a new Ethereum mining GPU king. 1080s flew off the shelves, but so did everything else. You’d be hard pressed to find an AMD or Nvidia anything beyond long-lost old stock that was found by accident in the backroom.
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Those 1080’s that were bought were good, but the 1070 still held it’s place as the ROI GPU. Fast enough, overclockable, undervolatable, and less thirsty than it’s rivals for electricity. And, it was a cheaper sunk cost up front.
GeForce GTX 1070 Ti
Then, just weeks ago, another Nvidia card which had only been rumored hit the shelves. The GeForce GTX 1070 Ti. Fingers-crossed and with a lack of data from the factory, everyone was hoping for an evolved low-power 1070 that could eek out more hashrate even more efficiently than the original. Here’s how all three Nvidia cards netted it out by the numbers.
GTX 1070 vs. GTX 1070 Ti vs GTX 1080
| GPU | Pascal | CUDA Cores | Base/Boost Clock | Video Memory | Memory Bus | Power Draw | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080 | GP102 | 2560 | 1607/1800 | 8GB GDDR5X | 352-bit | 180W | $599 |
| 1070ti | GP104 | 2432 | 1607/1900 | 8GB GDDR5 | 256-bit | 180W | $469 |
| 1070 | GP104 | 1920 | 1506/1900 | 8GB GDDR5 | 256-bit | 150W | $379 |
Current Mining GPU Prices and Availability
The 1070 is basically the reference point. It’s solid, can run overclocked all day long, and can be trained to sip on electricity while doing so. The 1080 which came out before the 1070 Ti was a step up in just about every way. Unfortunately, the step up included power consumption. The 1070 Ti? It’s hard to see it just looking at a table of numbers. But, unfortunately, it’s clear now that Nvidia’s 1070 Ti wasn’t the card miner’s were hoping for. This card was made for the gamer, the VR-headset wearer. The 4k video player who wasn’t shelling out 1080 cash.
Ethereum Mining comparison: GTX1070, 1070 Ti and 1080
As far as mining goes, the 1070 Ti mines just about the same as the 1070, it just costs a bit more. The 256-bit memory bus holds back any gains that the additional CUDA cores might have provided. A comparison was run in both stock configuration and with the overclocking could be squeezed out of these cards on Legit Reviews. They’re comparison spanned a wider range of cards then we’re talking about here, but we included their graph in its entirety.
Nvidia Ethereum Mining Comparison. View the source and full write up at LegitReviews.com.
For more information on the what’s and hows check out their post and findings.
What GPUs are in stock? How much are they?
Find out: Mining GPU Prices and Availability
Are the 1070 Ti and 1080 bad for GPU mining?
It’s important to note that there’s nothing wrong with any of these cards. Even when viewed through the lens of using them for the purpose of cryptocurrency mining (as opposed to gaming or doing rendering work) they all have their highs and lows.
As far as mining Ethereum is concerned, the 1070 is still the best choice. But, most recent cards have an area they excel. The 1070 Ti, for example, is supposed to be great for mining Zcash. The same types of matchups can be made for many cards, and not just Nvidia cards. AMD’s GPU chew on and spit out Monero’s CryptoNight algorithm at an enviable rate in contrast to any 1070.
If it’s ether you’re after, for now the Nvida GeForce GTX 1070 is your card.
