Graphics card maker Nvidia unveiled a brand new processor chip devoted to Ethereum mining on Thursday — whereas additionally transferring to render certainly one of its top-shelf GPUs much less helpful for the method.
Dubbed the Cryptocurrency Mining Processor or CMP, the product is particularly designed to be used by miners who would possibly in any other case use conventional GPUs to mine ETH or different cryptocurrencies that depend on comparable processes.
With the transfer, Nvidia is wading into the long-running stress between cryptocurrency miners and avid gamers, each of whom actively hunt down the latest-generation GPUs upon launch. This state of affairs has led to intermittent shortages and, as a rule, grumbling from avid gamers — notably when cryptocurrency costs are on the rise.
As reported earlier this month, ETH miners generated some $800 million in January, based mostly on figures collected by The Block Analysis. That determine demonstrates the dimensions at which ETH mining has reached — and, by consequence, the diploma to which miners have scooped up GPUs (and driving up {hardware} costs by consequence). As just lately reported, Nvidia is bringing older models again to the market in an effort to stem current shortages. And a few miners are even deploying gaming laptops in order that they will draw hashing energy from their built-in GPUs, as The Block beforehand reported.
With CMP, Nvidia seems to be trying to construct a devoted enterprise line for crypto miners — and, maybe, alleviate the issues of its gaming clientele on the similar time. Variations of CMP will roll out in Q1 and Q2 this yr, per Nvidia’s web site.
Half-and-parcel to the transfer, Nvidia mentioned that beginning on February 25, it’s going to take a software program method to make its top-of-line GPU merchandise much less helpful for crypto miners.
“RTX 3060 software program drivers are designed to detect particular attributes of the Ethereum cryptocurrency mining algorithm, and restrict the hash price, or cryptocurrency mining effectivity, by round 50 %,” Nvidia mentioned within the weblog submit, including:
“Creating tailor-made merchandise for patrons with particular wants delivers one of the best worth for patrons. With CMP, we will help miners construct probably the most environment friendly information facilities whereas preserving GeForce RTX GPUs for avid gamers.”
