Mining Rig
A specialized device or set of ASICs configured to perform SHA-256 hashes for Bitcoin mining.
A mining rig is the physical hardware that does the SHA-256d hashing for Bitcoin mining. In 2026, that means ASIC-based machines designed specifically for this single task.
A typical modern Bitcoin ASIC miner (Bitmain S21, MicroBT M60S series, etc.) consists of:
- The hash boards - PCBs holding many SHA-256-optimized ASIC chips. Each board does 30-60 TH/s (terahashes/sec).
- Control board - manages chip work distribution, monitors temperatures, reports back to the mining software.
- Power supply - typically 3-4 kW continuous draw for a single unit.
- Cooling - aggressive fans for air-cooled units, immersion liquid for hydro/immersion variants.
Modern flagship units in 2026 are around 200-300 TH/s and 14-17 joules per terahash. Compare to early ASICs (2013) at 1 TH/s and 1,000+ J/TH. The efficiency improvement curve has been astonishing.
What rigs cost:
- Hardware: $1,500-5,000 per unit depending on generation and efficiency.
- Electricity: The dominant operational cost. Profitability requires <$0.05/kWh in most market conditions.
- Cooling, maintenance, internet, real estate: Real but secondary.
Rigs at scale need colocation - dedicated facilities with industrial power, cooling, and bandwidth. Home rigs exist for hobbyists, often using mining heat for space or water heating in cold climates, but profit-driven home mining has been impractical since around 2014.
See ASIC for the chips inside and Mining for the broader picture.
Key takeaways
- Powered by ASIC hardware specialized for SHA-256
- Requires robust cooling and stable power to operate efficiently
- At scale, rigs form huge mining farms to remain competitive