What is important in such a device is the controlling software.
As seen with the previous gridseed hardware, if one side is significantly more efficient than the other, it will be primarily used and the other will be ignored.
This will add problems since the most ideal solution would be to run one at full speed and the other at a reduced clock rate and speed, if both sides are separate enough, than this can be solved using a well designed board with a wide range of voltage control. However, this also leads to more component cost.
The device from SFARDS needs to allow for profit monitoring that closely follows the api from an exchange as well as the local power costs, I haven't yet seen this done well yet.
Hopefully the device is very efficient in the aspect of cooling as well, space-efficiency doesn't really matter as entire warehouses are typically partially filled since the power concentration is typically the larger issue.
What this all translates to is an ideal unit, such an ideal unit would be along the following
- Quiet
- Low Heat dissipation requirements
- Excellent Under clocking Potential
- Solid and Available Controlling/Driving Software
What many asic manufacturers forget is that for the average user (the one who pays the larges, non-bulk pricing) does not want a loud unit, nor a compact unit that has extreme power requirements and/or industrial-type cooling requirements. Such a consumer would rather spend a few $'s or bits more to pay for the extra aluminum or better design to reduce the need for massive airflow. Longevity is key for these high paying customers, you can either taylor to short-term customers like mining farms, or play the long game and become a household name.
Both styles have risks, but I have yet to see a good household product for the average consumer. I'm tired of telling people "Not to mine" I wish there was a product that I could just hand someone and they could mine in under a day.
I know it's been said a lot, whether or not one wishes to review a miner, but ideally it should be done by Dogie first and foremost, secondarily, it should be done by average and newer users (perhaps DRKMSTR maybe? - insert Zoidberg Meme), what is important is that such a device is not only reviewed by a reliable reviewer, but reviewed by newer users who can introduce it to groups of average consumers and obtain feedback from them.
There is still a large market out there that nobody has tapped yet, but most miners are too loud to be accepted, or too expensive. This market is not only the average consumer, but a consumer whom most don't realize exist. (Hey, I need to keep a bit secret, otherwise anyone could market to these guys) Such a market is at my very doorstep.
Ultimately it will come down to Sfards to determine which market they want to cater to. I'll ask you one question, who's miners do you see more often, the ones designed for large mine usage, or the ones sold to the average consumer?
