Initially, there was solely a CPU for Bitcoin mining, then a GPU. Later, Mighty Asic appeared in 2013, and with this, the shape issue for the “shoebox” symbolizing the Bitcoin mining business appeared.
What’s coming subsequent? Does the shoebox design final as a regular for Bitcoin Mining ASICS? Or will one other type issue that resembles a conventional knowledge middle server win?
ASIC makers are more and more betting on the latter – or at the very least betting that server rack designs for underwater cooling will develop into a major a part of the Bitcoin mining fleet. Moreover, they’re leaning in the direction of cooling “on to the chip” for much more environment friendly enhancements.
Auradine’s new AH3880 was launched in March 2025.
Final September, Bitmain unveiled the U3S21Expph (a little bit mouthful, eh?) mannequin developed in partnership with the Hut 8. Its U3 design implies that one unit takes up three areas in a conventional server rack. Microbt quickly adopted with the M63 Hydro collection, as did Bitdeer’s Sealminer A2 Hydro unit.
Following the go well with, Auradine launched the server rack mannequin, the AH3880 this March. The U2 design occupying two server slots is a bit smaller, however packs the hashrate per unit per house at 600 th/s (or 300 th/s per slot) for Bitmain’s 860 Th/s (286.66 th/s per slot).
Sneakers out
So, what in regards to the swap from a conventional shoebox? For Aurazine, it is all about buyer demand.
“(Our new mannequin) relies on lots of suggestions we now have acquired from miner shoppers… Now we have been working with miners all through the design course of,” Auradine CSO Sanjay Gupta stated in his newest mining pod. “They confirmed us that they have been on the lookout for a high-quality hydro-based miner.”
In its partnership with Bitmain for U3S21Expph, “Hut 8 contributed to customized designs of the infrastructure, notably the U-form issue suitable with HPC-style structure,” Hut 8 investor relations head Sue Ennis instructed Blockspacelast in September. (Extra particulars on excessive efficiency computing angles later).
The benefit of server rack ASICs is their standardization. Based on knowledge middle developer Cyrus One, Bitcoin Miners are more and more marching in levels with the standard knowledge middle business, permitting them to undertake 40% of direct liquid-to-chip cooling by 2026.
If miners undertake this design, provide chains could be optimized by converging on server designs which are theoretically greatest practices within the main boy knowledge middle sector.
This makes buildings and repairs to Bitcoin mines simpler. It may additionally make mining firms extra agile if you wish to succumb to Bitcoin mining and different types of computing.
Enter AI and HPC
Like so many mining information at present, after all, the ghost of AI is looming within the background.
If miners construct knowledge facilities utilizing conventional server rack designs, then they need to modify these websites for AI and HPC hundreds, one much less drawback is. After all, they nonetheless want to reinforce the muscular tissues, muscular tissues and veins of the operation utilizing extra strong networking and electrical infrastructure, however server racks present the spine of AI/HPC providers that require much less restructuring than legacy Bitcoin mines. As Ennis stated, “The u type issue is… suitable with HPC model architectures.”
To replicate this, Gupta instructed us in an interview with our Mining Pod, “(The U-form issue) is utilized in AI knowledge facilities. It is simple to regulate. It additionally has a excessive (energy) density in AI knowledge facilities.
Who’s shopping for it?
For sure, Bitcoin mining’s server rack type issue remains to be in its early levels and is promised that such a design might win, however there is no such thing as a assure.
First, Bitcoin miners must rewire the inside of the mine in addition to fully rewiring {the electrical} infrastructure (which is unlikely to occur in current mines).
Brad Cuddy of Cholla, who runs a water-cooled ASIC miner, instructed Blockspace final September that he was “thrilled to see the transition from Shoebox Design to the (server rack) type issue.” Nevertheless, he stated the voltage vary of the U3S21Expph just isn’t suitable with the precise electrical infrastructure utilized by miners in different Bitmain fashions.
“The restricted vary of 380-415 volts reduces mod compatibility. It superior the voltage vary as much as 480 volts, permitting for larger interoperability with present infrastructure deployments,” he stated.
So it is potential that miners will see these models built-in into new websites. HUT 8 is taking this method in its plan to host 15 EH/s for U3S21EXPH models for Bitmain at its Vega, Texas web site.
Up to now, the Hut 8 is the one public purchaser of Bitmain’s U3S21Expph. Gupta didn’t disclose which miners have contracts for AH3880, however he stated it contains a number of industrial-scale non-public and public miners. It is no shock to see Mara, one in every of Auradine’s key companions, investing greater than $50 million within the firm.
Assuming that Hut 8’s Vega web site runs easily on Bitmain’s mannequin and Mara deploys the Aurazine deployment, public miners could lead on the place others observe, permitting new type elements to slowly penetrate fashionable mining designs.
