11 Feb Ethereum: NVIDIA Tesla K80 vs M60, if electricity and capital wasn’t a factor
Ethereum: NVIDIA Tesla K80 vs M60 – A Comparative Analysis
When it comes to cryptocurrency mining, several factors come into play when choosing a powerful graphics processing unit (GPU). Two of the most popular options in this space are the NVIDIA Tesla K80 and the NVIDIA Tesla M60. In an ideal world where electricity and capital were unlimited, these GPUs could potentially be used for cryptocurrency mining with ease. However, let’s explore how they stack up against each other.
The NVIDIA Tesla K80
The NVIDIA Tesla K80 is a high-end GPU released in 2014. It boasts a massive 2560 CUDA cores, 14 GB of HBM2 memory, and can generate around 3-5 TFLOPS (tera-floating-point operations per second). This GPU was considered one of the most powerful cards available at that time and was particularly popular among cryptocurrency miners.
The NVIDIA Tesla M60
Released in 2016, the NVIDIA Tesla M60 is a more recent model with even higher specifications. It features 4096 CUDA cores, 32 GB of GDDR5 memory, and an even faster clock speed of up to 1.4 GHz. This GPU was also designed specifically for cryptocurrency mining and offered significantly better performance than its predecessor.
Comparison Time
Now that we’ve reviewed the specs of both GPUs, let’s dive into a comparison of their performance in Ethereum mining.
- Ethereum Hash Rate: The Tesla K80 was able to generate around 1.5-2.5 TH/s (tera-hash per second), while the Tesla M60 could produce up to 4-6 TH/s.
- CUDA Cores and Memory: The K80 had 2560 CUDA cores, which is significantly more than the 4096 CUDA cores of the M60. However, both GPUs used HBM2 memory, so the difference in performance isn’t directly correlated with this factor.
Conclusion
In an ideal world where electricity and capital were unlimited, the Tesla M60 would likely be a better choice for Ethereum mining due to its higher clock speed and more efficient design. The increased number of CUDA cores would allow it to generate more hash rate per watt hour of power consumed. Additionally, the faster memory interface (HBM2) would provide a significant boost in performance.
However, in practice, both GPUs are capable of achieving high levels of performance. The Tesla K80 was still an incredibly powerful card when released, and its lower price point compared to the M60 made it more accessible to consumers.
Real World Considerations
When choosing between these two GPUs for Ethereum mining, several factors come into play beyond just raw power:
- Power Consumption: Both GPUs require a lot of electricity to operate, which can be expensive. The Tesla K80 was significantly less power-hungry than the M60, but both are still relatively energy-intensive.
- Cost: As mentioned earlier, the K80 is more affordable, making it a better value for consumers who don’t plan on mining cryptocurrencies full-time.
- Upgradeability: Both GPUs are high-end cards, but their architectures make upgrading to newer models more complex. The M60’s GPU dies can be replaced or upgraded with new hardware, while the K80’s architecture is harder to modify.
In conclusion, while the NVIDIA Tesla M60 would likely offer better performance in Ethereum mining if electricity and capital were unlimited, both GPUs are capable of achieving high levels of performance when operating within a more realistic budget. Ultimately, choosing between these two GPUs depends on your specific needs and priorities as a cryptocurrency miner.
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