i'm not really that into all this ASIC business but in my eyes this chip doesn't really look that groundbreaking O_o
It's weakest of all the new chips. Avalon might just give them out very very cheap.
Thought so, now let's hope they make a usbminer with dual chips!
Was thinking of this. That chip suits for USB miner.
Beats Antminer U2 least.
From a developer's prospective - even though a USB miner is not an impossibility I'd say it doesn't make much sense.
(stock) USB3 can deliver 4.5W. This chip using 5.35W already exceeds that. And it doesn't even account for power conversion losses. So if you need to deliver 5.35W to the chip and in the conversion process you get 80% efficiency that means 6.7W at the input.
Or for a 5V power supply you're looking at 1.3-1.5Amps.
So - a 1-chip miner is probably doable (and most of the new powered hubs will let you draw 1.5-2A per port) but going with a dual-chip USB miner will probably be a pointless exercise.
I was thinking of running it with 2.5w - 3.5w. Full speed is too much. 2-chip too expensive.
USB miners cannot compete with blade miners, but still this chip beats Antminer U2 and bm1380 chip, you could get 3-4GH/s from this Avalon or more. No need to run it with +5w, run it eco-mode, +4W is too hot for small heatsink. No need for 2 chips. Also bottom part cooling and all, this chip suits for USB miners. Something to compete with Antminers which continue to sell good in ebay.
Days of the USB miners might be past or will Asicminer suprise us.