Best Card for Scrypt Mining

[jcortez1594]

Hey guys. I was wondering which graphics card is the cheapest to buy and gets the highest scrypt hashrate. Most other forums I've found have taken power costs into consideration, but I would like a pure comparison of the price of the card vs the hashrate. My electricity cost is included in the price of my dorm and so I can use as much power as I want at no additional cost. Any input or suggestions will be appreciated

[yessine]

i beleive best are HD 5970 for low budget and you can find used one easialy
and the HD7990 if you have good budget
but i advice you to have 4 used HD 5970

[twistedtrick]

R9 270x is pretty hard to beat in terms of Khash/s/$

[jcortez1594]

For anyone else in a similar situation that's interested, the rates from the suggestion so far are...

5970 @ $375: 2 (kh/s/$)
7990 @ $1000: 1.15 (kh/s/$)
R9 270X @ $215: 1.92 (kh/s/$)
R9 280x @ $400: 1.38 (kh/s/$)
R9 290 @ $400: 2.075(kh/s/$)

Will continue to update as further suggestions are made.

[Minimaxa]

Have a look at the wiki hardware comparison chart, all the hardwork in deciding which card based on hash/value has already been done for you.

https://litecoin.info/Mining_Hardware_Comparison

[xocel]

I'm using R9 280x's atm. Fairly decent.

R9 280x: 1.38 (kh/s/$)

edit: in NZD

[jcortez1594]

I was using that chart to check hashrates, but it doesn't supply the current cost of the cards. I was looking for people to suggest the best cards for kh/s/$ so I wouldn't have to look up the price of every card on the chart and compare it to the the hashrate. The suggestions save me time and allow me to compare a more narrow selection.

[neuroMode]

R9 290s all the way, but only if you can find some for $400. Anything over $450 and they begin to falter in terms of $/Khash. R9 290 prices skyrocketted about 2 week before Christmas. I was getting them on Amazon Prime for $400 with $4 next day shipping. Those were the days

[mikeybit]

R9 290s all the way, but only if you can find some for $400. Anything over $450 and they begin to falter in terms of $/Khash. R9 290 prices skyrocketted about 2 week before Christmas. I was getting them on Amazon Prime for $400 with $4 next day shipping. Those were the days

I was able to pick one up for $350 yesterday at Micro Center.

[atp1916]

Assuming no undervolting, here are some rough estimates:

R9 270 Reg - 4:1 Hash/watt ratio  (400-450khs / 100-120w).

HD7950 - 3.5:1 Hash/watt ratio (650khs / 200w)      //not all 7950s do 650khs @ stock speeds

R9 290 Reg - 3:1 Hash/watt ratio (900khs / 300w)     //needs 900khs+

R9 280x (7970) - 3:1 Hash/watt ratio (750khs / 250w)         //could be slightly worse, 7970s have been known to hit 300w

[majkara]

R9 290 definitely...have 3 of them each running at 880 kh/s

[neuroMode]

What configuration are you using?

[hvezdasmrti]

he is probably using non-stock cooling. With stock cooling is that IMPOSSIBRU (maybe with hacked bios from 290X).

[CryptoGuy]

Assuming no undervolting, here are some rough estimates:

R9 270 Reg - 4:1 Hash/watt ratio  (400-450khs / 100-120w).

R9 290 Reg - 3:1 Hash/watt ratio (900khs / 300w)     //needs to break 900khs

R9 280x (7970) - 3:1 Hash/watt ratio (750khs / 250w)         //could be slightly worse, 7970s have been known to hit 300w

HD7950 - 3.5:1 Hash/watt ratio (650khs / 200w)      //not all 7950s do 650khs @ stock speeds.

Keep in mind total system power per hk/w. Let's assume 4 cards per rig:

R9 270:
4 x 425kh/s = 1700kh/s
4 x 110w = 440w
Avg of about ~200w for the rest of the system
2.75kh/watt

R9 290:
4 x 900kh/s = 3200kh/s
4 x 300w = 1200w
Avg of about ~200w for the rest of the system
2.66kh/watt

Now to get the same amount of hashing power using R9 270's you'd have to build 2 rigs which would be far more expensive as far as hardware costs, space and heat. Better to pony up for the more expensive cards and save yourself the trouble later.

[majkara]

he is probably using non-stock cooling. With stock cooling is that IMPOSSIBRU (maybe with hacked bios from 290X).

Stock cooling with fans set to 90% and temps are about 80C.

[hvezdasmrti]

For anyone else in a similar situation that's interested, the rates from the suggestion so far are...

5970 @ $375: 2 (kh/s/$)
7990 @ $1000: 1.15 (kh/s/$)
R9 270X @ $215: 1.92 (kh/s/$)
R9 280x @ $400: 1.38 (kh/s/$)
R9 290 @ $400: 2.075(kh/s/$)

Will continue to update as further suggestions are made.

your prices are mistaken

5970 is unobtainable and eats so much power that it makes it totally crappy + no warranty at all IF you can obtain it, i have one 5870 and its working fine but its energy waster comparing it to 270

270 and 270X - yeah very  good cards, the best is probably 270 overclocked to 270X

280X - there you have a mistake, 280X is cheaper than 290 and has similar hashratio and MUCH better temperatures and a bit better power consumption

290 is good but you need  to rebuild cooling or run it in garage because its really noisy + you must pay for a good PSU

290X has worse price ratio and same disadvantages like 290


Running pool made by 270s may be more effective if you want to sell your cards after some time. 270 price drop will be much lower than at hi-end cards...


Majkara running his card 10 meters under ground or in a pillbox with walls 1m deep? How big is the noise? I have one 290 and still not running because it killed my PSU instantly....

[jcortez1594]

For anyone else in a similar situation that's interested, the rates from the suggestion so far are...

5970 @ $375: 2 (kh/s/$)
7990 @ $1000: 1.15 (kh/s/$)
R9 270X @ $215: 1.92 (kh/s/$)
R9 280x @ $400: 1.38 (kh/s/$)
R9 290 @ $400: 2.075(kh/s/$)

Will continue to update as further suggestions are made.

your prices are mistaken

5970 is unobtainable and eats so much power that it makes it totally crappy + no warranty at all IF you can obtain it, i have one 5870 and its working fine but its energy waster comparing it to 270

270 and 270X - yeah very  good cards, the best is probably 270 overclocked to 270X

280X - there you have a mistake, 280X is cheaper than 290 and has similar hashratio and MUCH better temperatures and a bit better power consumption

290 is good but you need  to rebuild cooling or run it in garage because its really noisy + you must pay for a good PSU

290X has worse price ratio and same disadvantages like 290


Running pool made by 270s may be more effective if you want to sell your cards after some time. 270 price drop will be much lower than at hi-end cards...


Majkara running his card 10 meters under ground or in a pillbox with walls 1m deep? How big is the noise? I have one 290 and still not running because it killed my PSU instantly....

There are plenty of 5970's available on ebay and as said above, I don't care how much energy is used or head is created. I can put the air conditioning as strong as I like at no extra cost to me. I only care about the price of the card vs. the hashrate. The prices I'm using are for average sales I've found on different sites including ebay, amazon, craigslist, etc.

[zSprawl]

For anyone else in a similar situation that's interested, the rates from the suggestion so far are...

5970 @ $375: 2 (kh/s/$)
7990 @ $1000: 1.15 (kh/s/$)
R9 270X @ $215: 1.92 (kh/s/$)
R9 280x @ $400: 1.38 (kh/s/$)
R9 290 @ $400: 2.075(kh/s/$)

Will continue to update as further suggestions are made.

Where can you find R9 290s for $400, because I'd like to buy?

[jcortez1594]

For anyone else in a similar situation that's interested, the rates from the suggestion so far are...

5970 @ $375: 2 (kh/s/$)
7990 @ $1000: 1.15 (kh/s/$)
R9 270X @ $215: 1.92 (kh/s/$)
R9 280x @ $400: 1.38 (kh/s/$)
R9 290 @ $400: 2.075(kh/s/$)

Will continue to update as further suggestions are made.

Where can you find R9 290s for $400, because I'd like to buy?

"R9 290s all the way, but only if you can find some for $400. Anything over $450 and they begin to falter in terms of $/Khash. R9 290 prices skyrocketted about 2 week before Christmas. I was getting them on Amazon Prime for $400 with $4 next day shipping. Those were the days Smiley"

"I was able to pick one up for $350 yesterday at Micro Center."

[suncoastbuddy]

I am in Australia

Is this the card you guys are recommending? Does the GB make much difference to mining? And what sort of power supply would I need?

Sorry about all the questions, very new to this side of computers.

Thanks is advance