With the mining boom that happened in the 2010s, it would be hard to find a person who didn’t at least hear about the process. And while a lot of people do not bother themselves with technical details, those who keep tabs on crypto and mining tend to know a thing or two about the best gear for mining.
With the advance of video cards in mining, a lot of people overlook good ol’ CPUs, even though they are still a valid option if you want to mine. Now, without further ado, let’s dive into our top 5 Best CPU for mining in 2020.
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What is the CPU and does CPU mining still work?
CPU is short for Central Processing Unit, or a processor. It is a part of your computer that allocates and uses your PCs resources to do what you need it to do. It is also probably the most cost-efficient way to mine yourself some crypto. While GPU mining might be faster and more productive, video cards not only cost more in general but also require more power, raking up your electricity bill. And since you want to get richer, not poorer, well… You’ve got the idea.
So, yeah, if you want to enter the mining scene, a good starting point would be to find out a good, productive CPU in your price range, and good crypto to mine. After all, while Bitcoin sounds pretty awesome, times, when you could mine it solo, are long past. Now it requires you to have either a number of rigs or a mining crew to get a shot at getting BTC. Don’t despair, though!
Recently, some altcoins decided to get more CPU-friendly, and some even outright forbid to use multiple rigs at once, so that novice would still have a chance to get rewards. We’ll tell you more about that in the CPU section, so strap in and let’s get to it.
Top 5 CPU for Mining to Use in 2020
#1. AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X
- Cores: 16
- Threads: 32
- Base Clock: 3.4 GHz
- Boost Clock: 4.0 GHz
- Compatible Coins: Monero (XMR), Epic Cash (EPIC), Electronium (ETN), Ravencoin (RVN), ZCash (ZEC)
And we are starting our list with the powerhouse of the AMD processor family. With 16 cores, 32 threads, and a 32 Mb of L3 cache, it is a beast of mining CPU. Its capability for multithread processing is making it an ideal choice, even though its price dampens the mood a little bit. If it is your first foray in the mining, it would be best to look for more budget variants. After all, you can always upgrade later. Still, if you want to start with the best CPU for mining, this one here is for you.
#2. AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1920X
- Cores: 12
- Threads: 24
- Base Clock: 3.5 GHz
- Boost Clock: 4.0 GHz
- Compatible Coins: Monero (XMR), Epic Cash (EPIC), Electronium (ETN), Ravencoin (RVN), ZCash (ZEC)
While less powerful than the previous entry, this CPU is more cost-efficient, as it is much cheaper. Also, while it has fewer cores that Threadripper 1950X, it is still a real multi-thread processing engine. With its ability to compute multiple processes at once, and the same volume of L3 cache (32 Mb) as the other CPU, AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1920X is a good choice for both the experienced and novice traders. It has a good balance between the cost, power consumption, and processing speed. All in all, a good budget version of the first entry.
#3. AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
- Cores: 6
- Threads: 12
- Base Clock: 3.6 GHz
- Boost Clock: 4.0 GHz
- Compatible Coins: Monero (XMR), Epic Cash (EPIC), Electronium (ETN), Ravencoin (RVN), ZCash (ZEC)
Now, I know what you are thinking: “What, ANOTHER processor by AMD?” Well, you see, AMD just good CPUs for mining, as well as for any multithread needs. While Intel has a better performance for gaming and graphic design, AMD shines here. But don’t worry, we’ll get to Intel soon enough. For now, though, let’s take a look at Ryzen 5 1600X. It is a good mid-price range processor with enough power to use in mining. It might not be the most powerful, but it is even cheaper than previous entries, so if you just want to dabble a little in mining and don’t want to spend a lot of money on it, this is a good choice.
#4. Intel Core i5-7600K
- Cores: 4
- Threads: 4
- Base Clock: 3.8 GHz
- Boost Clock: 4.2 GHz
- Compatible Coins: Monero (XMR), Epic Cash (EPIC), Electronium (ETN), Ravencoin (RVN), ZCash (ZEC)
And here is our first Intel on the list. As you can see, it has fewer cores and threads than its AMD analogs while costing almost 3 times more than them, almost on par with Threadripper 1950x. However, it has its own advantages, with each core being more powerful than anything AMD can offer, and being easier to overclock for even more power. All in all, not a bad choice if you want to buy a CPU for mining and gaming.
#5. Intel Core i7-9700K
- Cores: 8
- Threads: 8
- Base Clock: 3.6 GHz
- Boost Clock: 4.9 GHz
- Compatible Coins: Monero (XMR), Epic Cash (EPIC), Electronium (ETN), Ravencoin (RVN), ZCash (ZEC)
A more powerful (and MUCH more expensive) variation of Intel i5-7600K above. This One can be called a mining CPU, as it is much more powerful, and can better process multithread tasks. However, its disadvantages in terms of mining also increased, so the same verdict applies: if you want to do mining as a side gig and are in need of a good gaming CPU, this one is for you.
Summary
With that, we are finishing our overview of CPU for mining. By using any processor from the list, you can start mining efficiently. Of course, our list is not covering all variants, as almost every modern CPU works for mining, but we’ve decided to give you the creme of the crop among them. It should also be noted that with some cryptos (like Monero) changing the algorithm to be more CPU-friendly, you certainly have more chances to get coins for your hardware work. And yes, it was a pun.
