Home Bitcoin mining is not dead – Antminer R4 Released

For those looking to get into Bitcoin mining towards the end of this year are in for some good news. With a moderate investment and cheap enough power, you can make a profit allowing with a bit of time, even if you are in a small living space and have problems with noise, Bitmain have developed a machine just for you. The Antminer R4 is a Bitcoin miner from Bitmain which hashes at 8.6 TH/S, consuming 845 watts at the wall!

At the current prices of bitcoin, and current difficulty accounting for a small jump and with a cost of $1080 USD, you can look to break even in less than a year with an electricity price of 10 US cents per kWh. Plus, with the unique fan design, the machine is a lot quieter than the Antminer S9 or S7.

In a colder climate, this machine could double up as a fan heater, the consumed wattage is close to that of a fan heater on its lowest setting and virtually all the power in will come out as heat, a by-product of the ASIC chips doing the work of mining. If you use a fan heater, or are in a cold climate using another type of heater, swap it out for this and enjoy greater profits.

This machine has sold like hotcakes, and Batch 2 is already sold out, so you would need to wait for Batch 3 before you can purchase one of these, unless you find a used one, but do not pay the crazy eBay prices of these units, as ROI will be a lot harder.

Avalon, a rival manufacturer has attempted to compete with a similar priced Avalon 7, which is also good for home mining. However, with its price, hash rate (only 6 TH/s) and power consumption you would get a better bang for your buck with the Antminer R4, but the Avalon 7 is easier to obtain at present. If your electricity is free or extremely cheap, consider going for the Avalon.

It is looking good for the home Bitcoin miner, they still have a chance to earn some profit and complete in the Bitcoin world, which is becoming increasingly dominated by large mining farms, many of which are concentrated in China or colder climates with cheap power.

Please note that the above information and figures is given with no guarantee and the bitcoin market can change in an instant (difficulty jumps, price changes, etc.) So always research your investments thoroughly. Happy mining!