Intel Unveils Its Bonanza Mine Chip for Environment friendly Bitcoin Mining

Intel had been getting ready to current its first Bitcoin mining ASIC at ISSCC 2022 and because the occasion acquired underway on February 20, Intel has revealed extra particulars of the Bonanza Mine ASIC, in addition to its Bonanza Mine System — a self-contained laptop, which options 300 Bonanza Mine ASICs to ship 40 terahashes per second (THash/s) of efficiency whereas consuming 3,600W of energy. The chipmaker’s presentation was devoted to the first-generation ASIC Bonanza Mine codenamed BMZ1, in addition to a system based mostly on them, nonetheless, the corporate is already set to ship a second-generation product to shoppers, particulars of that are but to be revealed by Intel.

Whereas that seems like a barrage of numbers for non-miners, it’s price noting that Intel’s efficiency numbers for the BMZ1 do not fairly match as much as the competitors from the likes of Bitmain, as noted by CryptoAge. However as talked about, the corporate has already begun delivery a second-generation product codenamed BMZ2 to its shoppers.

As per a CoinTelegraph report, Bonanza Mine System incorporates 4 hash boards, an Intel FPGA management unit, 4 followers, and a programmable energy provide. An FPGA is a “area programmable” built-in circuit that gives prospects with the power to reconfigure the {hardware} to fulfill particular use case necessities — on this case, Bitcoin mining — after the manufacturing course of.

Intel’s patent for “high-performance Bitcoin mining” was filed in November 2018, and it proposed a 15 p.c discount in general energy consumption. On the time, Intel executives expressed confidence in competing towards established corporations reminiscent of Bitmain, MicroBT, and Nvidia.

Intel’s new mining chips, the BMZ2, can be accessible later this 12 months with US electrical energy firm GRIID Infrastructure, crypto mining agency Argo Blockchain, and Jack Dorsey-led Block among the many first shoppers in line to obtain the primary batch of mining chips.

Now, going by info that is been revealed by Intel to date, the second-generation BTC miner will have the ability to ship a balanced efficiency of 40.4THash/s by drawing 2,293W of energy – registering a low energy consumption of 56.97 joules per THash. When in comparison with Bitmain {hardware}, the Antminer S19j ASIC Bitcoin Miner consumes 3,100W to ship as much as 90THash/s at room temperature, leading to an effectivity of 34.5 joules per THash.

As highlighted by a Tom’s {Hardware} report, Bitcoin mining firm GRIID’s provide settlement with Intel includes a host of redactions to guard delicate info, however nonetheless reveals references to Intel’s Reference Design Supplies that are primarily paperwork which can be meant for purchasers to make use of as steerage when integrating the Bonanza Mine chips into their very own customized methods.

This suggests that Intel will provide the silicon to a few of its prospects, who will then create their very own methods. This additionally bodes nicely with Jack Dorsey’s plans for Block, which he says will create a “Bitcoin mining system based mostly on customized silicon and open supply for people and companies worldwide.”