Bitcoin hardware manufacturers need to keep coming up with creative ways to make their ASIC chips better, faster, and cheaper. Squeezing out that last bit of mining power out of every chip can make the difference between a successful product and “just another miner”. BW seems to be on the right track, as they have introduced their new 14mc ASIC chip, called the BW-LK1401.
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BW Introduces 14nm ASIC Chips
When it comes to developing new Bitcoin mining chips, there are a few different factors to take into consideration. First of all, the smaller the chip, the more of these tiny boards can be put together into one giant Bitcoin ASIC mining machine. Even though sizes such as 16 nm may seem very small already, BW has managed to shrink their chips that tiny bit more, resulting in a 14nm size.
Many people underestimate the amount of research and development that goes into manufacturing these chips. It has taken BW close to one full year to further reduce their ASIC chip size, and none of these efforts would have been possible without the help of Samsung. The technology giant is known for making small and powerful devices, and a partnership with Bitcoin ASIC manufacturers seems to be a smart move.
What makes new ASIC mining chips so interesting is how they stack up in the power consumption department. The new chips developed by BW run at 160W/T, making it a very power efficient chip that packs a serious punch. But that is not all, as BW has always announced the second generation of 14nm ASIC chips, which will run at 95W/T. Needless to say, these new developments will massively reduce the electricity costs associated with the Bitcoin mining process.
Both generations of these new chips are currently in production, and mining enthusiasts will have to wait until April of 2016 – at the earliest – to purchase new lines of mining hardware from BW. No pricing has been announced at the time of publication, though, nor do we know how much power these new miners will pack when they run the new 14nm chip.
It is positive to see Bitcoin hardware manufacturers working on further reducing their ASIC chip size. Mining remains an integral part of the Bitcoin ecosystem, and companies such as BW have the responsibility to keep innovating whenever possible. One of the main things people dislike about mining is the waste of electricity associated with this process, as running a bunch of ASIC miners becomes subject to high electricity bills.
Source: Imgur
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