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Bitcoin mining

 

What Are Video Cards For in Bitcoin Mining?

Video cards, or GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), are powerful processors designed primarily for rendering images and video. However, their parallel processing capabilities also make them well-suited for performing the complex mathematical calculations required in cryptocurrency mining.

In the early days of Bitcoin, mining could be done using standard CPUs. However, as the difficulty of mining increased and the Bitcoin network grew, miners needed more powerful hardware to compete. GPUs soon replaced CPUs because they could perform many calculations simultaneously, offering significantly better performance in solving the cryptographic puzzles that Bitcoin mining involves.

Bitcoin mining specifically involves solving a cryptographic hash function (SHA-256) to validate and add blocks to the blockchain. This process, known as Proof of Work, requires computing power to find a nonce (a number only used once) that produces a hash lower than the current target. Because GPUs can process many hashing operations at once, they provided a substantial performance boost over CPUs.

However, it’s important to note that Bitcoin mining with GPUs is largely obsolete today. The rise of ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits) — specialized hardware designed specifically for mining SHA-256 — has made GPU mining unprofitable for Bitcoin. GPUs are now mainly used to mine altcoins, like Ethereum (prior to its switch to Proof of Stake), Ravencoin, Ergo, and others, which use different hashing algorithms more suited to GPUs.

Still, understanding GPU mining is valuable, especially for those interested in smaller coins or who are part of multipurpose mining operations.

Best Video Card Models for Cryptocurrency Mining

Even though GPU mining is no longer efficient for Bitcoin, GPUs are still widely used in mining other coins. The most popular and efficient GPUs for mining are selected based on their hashrate, power consumption, price, and availability. Below are some of the top-performing GPU models as of 2025:

1. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090

  • Hashrate (for Ethash-like algorithms): ~130–140 MH/s

  • Power consumption: ~450W

  • Pros: Exceptional performance; high hashrate

  • Cons: Expensive and power-hungry

2. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080

  • Hashrate: ~95–100 MH/s

  • Power consumption: ~320W

  • Pros: Better efficiency than 4090; lower power use

  • Cons: Still expensive

3. AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX

  • Hashrate: ~65–70 MH/s (varies by algorithm)

  • Power consumption: ~300W

  • Pros: Good balance of performance and cost

  • Cons: Slightly less efficient than NVIDIA in some algorithms

4. NVIDIA RTX 3070 and RTX 3060 Ti

  • Hashrate: ~60 MH/s (3070), ~55 MH/s (3060 Ti)

  • Power consumption: ~200–220W

  • Pros: Excellent efficiency; widely available; good resale value

  • Cons: Older models, less future-proof

5. AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT

  • Hashrate: ~64 MH/s

  • Power consumption: ~250W

  • Pros: High hashrate for the price

  • Cons: Requires tuning and optimization

Efficiency Tip: The best GPU for mining is one that offers the highest MH/s per watt ratio. Electricity cost is a major factor in profitability, so efficiency is often more important than raw performance.

How to Withdraw Bitcoins from Mining

Assuming you are involved in Bitcoin mining using ASICs or altcoin mining using GPUs (and then converting to BTC), here’s how you can withdraw Bitcoins:

1. Choose a Wallet

Before withdrawing, you'll need a Bitcoin wallet to store your BTC. There are several types:

  • Hardware wallets (e.g., Ledger, Trezor): Very secure

  • Software wallets (e.g., Electrum, Exodus): Convenient

  • Mobile wallets (e.g., Trust Wallet, Muun): Portable

  • Exchange wallets (e.g., Coinbase, Binance): Less secure but easy for trading

Make sure to safely back up your wallet seed phrase.

2. Use a Mining Pool (if applicable)

Most miners join mining pools to combine their resources and earn steady payouts. Examples of Bitcoin mining pools include:

  • Antpool

  • F2Pool

  • ViaBTC

  • Slush Pool

Your mining software will be connected to the pool and will regularly report your contributions. Once you accumulate a set threshold (e.g., 0.001 BTC), the pool will send the payout to your specified Bitcoin address.

3. Automatic Payouts

Most mining pools offer automatic withdrawals once your earnings reach a minimum threshold. You can set your withdrawal wallet address in your pool account settings. Be sure to:

  • Double-check the wallet address

  • Choose an address with full access control

  • Understand any withdrawal fees

4. Manual Conversions (for GPU miners)

If you're mining altcoins like Ravencoin or Ergo, you will first receive payouts in those coins. To convert and withdraw as Bitcoin:

  1. Receive altcoin payouts to a wallet (e.g., Zelcore or MetaMask).

  2. Send the altcoins to an exchange (like Binance, Kraken, or KuCoin).

  3. Trade the altcoin for BTC on the exchange.

  4. Withdraw BTC from the exchange to your Bitcoin wallet.

Be aware of transaction fees, exchange limits, and network congestion.

5. Use ATMs or Peer-to-Peer Platforms

Once you have BTC in your wallet, you can:

  • Withdraw to fiat using:

    • Bitcoin ATMs

    • Crypto exchanges with bank withdrawals (e.g., Coinbase, Binance)

    • P2P platforms like LocalBitcoins or Paxful

Always follow local regulations and ensure the security of your private keys.

Conclusion

Video cards (GPUs) were once essential for Bitcoin mining, but their role has shifted toward mining alternative cryptocurrencies due to the dominance of ASICs in the Bitcoin ecosystem. Still, GPUs remain a flexible and popular option for mining other coins, which can be converted into Bitcoin for withdrawal. Top-performing GPU models like the RTX 4090, 4080, and AMD RX 7900 series offer high efficiency and performance for altcoin mining. Once you've earned enough coins, withdrawing involves using a wallet, mining pool settings, and possibly an exchange to convert and transfer your BTC securely.