Best Cryptocurrencies to Mine with a PC in 2024

The days of mining bitcoin with a PC are over. As the difficulty of bitcoin mining has increased, using your computer has been made redundant in the face of large-scale, high-powered mining operations that use hardware specifically for proof of work mining.

But you’re not left out in the cold, as there are still many other cryptocurrencies to mine using some rather simple software. Here’s the lowdown on the best cryptocurrencies to mine with a PC right now.

Ergo (ERG)

Launched in 2019, Ergo is a smart contracts platform that gives developers the opportunity to create decentralized apps. While it operates similarly to Ethereum, the main difference is that Ergo does not charge any gas fees, making it easier for developers to predict the costs of the dApps they create. Ergo’s main aim is to provide an easy way for ordinary people to use smart contracts in a decentralized manner and without any trust.

Ergo, the platform’s native token, is a proof-of-work digital currency that can be mined rather simply. Erg mining is based on a proof-of-work algorithm known as Autolykos, which is designed to be ASIC and pool-resistant.

To mine Erg, you will need at least 4 GB of memory and a full node wallet that is initialized and fully synced. You will also need at least one GPU for mining (we recommend NVIDIA), although you can use multiple if you wish. Once you have your wallet you can download your chosen mining software (we recommend TeamRedMiner) and then edit the bat file using your wallet address to get started.

Quantum Resistant Ledger

The Quantum Resistant Ledger (QRL) is a first-of-a-kind complete quantum blockchain network that enables users to build blockchain applications. The ledger provides safe digital assets to its users that avoid current and emerging cryptographic threats through a suite of applications. It also offers extremely secure virtual communication thanks to its strong transitory messaging layer and on-chain lattice key storage.

There are not too many requirements to mine QRL, as most current processors will run some form of the mining software. QRL uses the RandomX algorithm, the same algorithm Monero uses, so any software that pool mines for Monero will work (we recommend XMRig).

Mining QRL using GPUs is possible if you utilize a community run pool server that works with miners to pool the submitted hashrate to find solutions. To compute the hashing functions, you will need Randomx mining software compatible with the latest Monero fork.

Monero

Launched in 2014, Monero is the only major cryptocurrency where every user is anonymous by default. Monero ensures anonymity via privacy-enhancing technologies, such as ring confidential transactions, ring signatures, and stealth addresses. Additionally, transaction data and account balances are not viewable on the Monero blockchain. This commitment to privacy has led to a growing interest in Monero.

If you’re interested in mining this coin, you can do so using either CPUs or GPUs, and you can solo mine or pool mine. We recommend the NVIDIA GPU and XMRig for your mining software (CSMiner also supports Monero mining). To begin, you will need to set up a crypto wallet, download and install RandomX-based hashing software, and set up your mining software. Then, you can start mining tokens.

Grin (GRIN)

Grin was launched in early 2019 with great anticipation of the broader cryptocurrency community. Grin’s primary focus is privacy and scalability, which it aims to achieve through the deployment of the privacy-enhanced MimbleWimble consensus algorithm.

Grin is an ASIC-resistant, CPU-minable proof-of-work digital currency, which is why it immediately became popular among small-scale crypto miners upon its launch. Moreover, the Grin developer team hard forks the Grin code every six months to remain ASIC-resistant.

While Grin supports CPU mining, you will get more bang for your buck mining with GPUs. The latest Nvidia graphics cards are considered the most effective for mining GRIN.

To start mining GRIN, you need to download a Grin node and sync the blockchain. Next, you set up your wallet so that you can receive mining rewards. Then, you need to configure your graphics cards and set the mining software to Cuckaroo POW, which supports GPU mining.

Æternity (AE)

Created in 2017, Æternity is a scalable blockchain platform that enables smart contracts, high-speed transactions, and decentralized oracles.

Its mining uses the Bitcoin NG protocol and is based on the Cuckcoo cycle algorithm, a newly-emerging proof-of-work algorithm adopted by many projects to establish a friendly mining environment. Cuckoo Cycle supports AMD and NVIDIA cards with at least 4 GB of memory. For mining software, we recommend IoIminer, as it supports NVIDIA and AMD GPUs.

Profitable Mining Depends on your PC

Originally, crypto mining was performed using CPUs. However, their high-power consumption and limited processing speed has led many miners to turn to GPUs, as GPUs are easier to maintain and upgrade, and they have better speed and efficiency.

Additionally, GPUs come with a large quantity of arithmetic logic units (ALUs), which are responsible for conducting mathematical equations. Thanks to the ALUs, GPUs are capable of completing more calculations, which in turn leads to an improved output when mining crypto.

Even though GPUs are preferred over CPUs for at-home mining, you still need to consider which GPU to use for your specific mining goals. Here are some of the top GPUs on the market:

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090

Price: $1599
Best to mine: Grin

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 comes with 24 GB of GDDR6X VRAM and is one of the most efficient cards in terms of profit per day, as it is estimated you can make around $18 per/day mining Grin with this graphics card, therefore making it one of the most sought-after GPUs.

AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX

Price: $899.99

Best to mine: MOAC

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is a powerful GPU card equipped with 24 GB of GDDR6 VRAM. It is capable of mining at an estimated hash rate of 90 MH/s on ETCHash. This GPU has a relatively low power consumption compared to other high-end GPUs, which can help reduce electricity costs and, in turn, improve profitability.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti

Price: $1499
Best to mine: Grin

Built on Ampere architecture, this is the most powerful card in the NVIDIA RTX 30 series. It is very efficient in terms of profit per day, and it can be used to mine Grin, Ravencoin, SWAP, and more.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti

Price: $1199
Best to mine: MOAC

Launched in September 2020, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti was the first graphics card in the RTX 30 series. It comes with 10 GB of GDDR6X memory, and the Ampere architecture provides this card with truly high performance.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080

Price: $1199
Best to mine: Grin

Released in November 2020, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is equipped with 16 GB of GDDR6X VRAM. Users can earn as much as $16/day mining Grin, making it a very suitable GPU for crypto mining.

Conclusion

While mining altcoins at home remains feasible if you have the right hardware and software, there are still some guidelines you should follow in order to maximize mining revenues.

Laptops are not suitable for mining as they are likely to overheat. In addition, it is advisable to purchase extra fans if you want to run several graphics cards during the mining process.

Moreover, be sure to stay current with the updates offered by the software you use. Mining software developers, digital currency wallets, and even mining pools will offer updates occasionally. This will help protect you from any vulnerabilities as well as potentially increase your efficiency as a miner.

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