What's the best hardware, that's not vaporware?

[SpeedDemon13]

What's the best hardware; ie. cost, availability, electricity, etc? That's also not vaporware, ie. BFL, etc....

[lovenlifelarge]

its all vapoware, there is no upgradable hardware on the market

The best option is 2 x S5's from bitmain, Cheapest cost to run, highest hash, cheapest to buy..

Not that this is the last in this gen of hardware. U might wanna wait 6 months for the next gen.

[notlist3d]

Best  current gen "consumer" gear is currently S5, Avalon 4.1, SP20.   All of these are what I consider best efficiency of miners out currently.

The S5 will be lowest price.  Avalon is most quiet by far but is a premium price.  And SP20 only can be bought second hand at this point.

[philipma1957]

If you have very cheap power the antminer s-3 may be 'better'.  

Ie if your power is under 6 cents the s-3 may be more cost effective then the s-5.

Basically:

 2 s-3s can do  800 watts and  1000gh cost =  170
 1 s-5  can do  625  watts and 1200gh cost = 383


If your power  cost is low  enough the s-3 could be better.

[alh]

The upside to something like the S5 (or SP20) is that it should be economically viable for a longer period of time when difficulty starts rising. The S3 will drop into "not paying the electric bill" sooner. My sense is that the last few months of "small to no" difficulty increases will end in the next couple months, and we'll see another ratcheting up of difficulty. I hope not like the brutal days of 10-20% increases every two weeks.

As always it depends on your definition of "best". None of the suggestions are obviously "perfect".

[notlist3d]

The upside to something like the S5 (or SP20) is that it should be economically viable for a longer period of time when difficulty starts rising. The S3 will drop into "not paying the electric bill" sooner. My sense is that the last few months of "small to no" difficulty increases will end in the next couple months, and we'll see another ratcheting up of difficulty. I hope not like the brutal days of 10-20% increases every two weeks.

As always it depends on your definition of "best". None of the suggestions are obviously "perfect".

If you can get a ROI on s3 really nothing else matters.  Upside of having better gear does not come into effect.  Once they hit ROI they are making pure profit.  If they can achieve pure profit quicker on S3 they should go there.

This is for very few and those with extremely low electricity.  For them S3 might be the ticket.  For most with normal electricity S5 and others are better.