SFARDs Announces Dual Mining 28mm Chip

Gridseed learned these lessons the hard way with its GC3355 model. The chip delivered 1.75GH/s SHA256 output and 60KH/s Scrypt capacity but suffered severe heating when running in dual-mining mode. Most miners abandoned that configuration and ran the device in Scrypt-only mode, where it consumed less power. The SF3301 represents the first dual-mining silicon architecture to reach the current hardware generation.

Power consumption shapes mining margins. SFARDS disclosed the SF3301's expected power draw: 0.3 J/GH for SHA256 mining and 2.0 J/MH for Scrypt. The SHA256 rating puts the chip near the cutting edge—the most advanced current equipment achieves around 0.2 J/GH. SFARDS has not released hash rate specifications for the SF3301, though the company expects performance gains over the GC3355.

The efficiency race is intensifying. KnCminer claims to be developing a 0.07J/GH chip set to arrive later in 2015, but that hardware won't enter the retail market. The efficiency gains will flow to KnCminer's cloud mining service and contracts with large industrial mining operations.

Mining companies are branching into new competitive strategies. Blockchain Factory built the Mining Slicer on the theory that miners want advantages beyond pure hashrate or power consumption. SFARDS appears to embrace the same approach, planning a cloud mining service and broader product portfolio, though the company hasn't clarified whether home miners will be able to buy the SF3301 or if the focus stays on industrial scale and cloud operations.