NVIDIA, Mining, and Ethereum After The Merge
ETH on GPUs is over. Here is how to get real value from your cards now, plus how to evaluate other Proof of Work networks without burning cash.
Quick context
Ethereum no longer rewards hashpower. Any guide about the best NVIDIA GPUs for mining ETH is outdated. If you still see those lists, they are recycling pre Merge content.
What GPUs do well now
- AI and ML. Inference, fine tuning adapters, and vector search. VRAM capacity and memory bandwidth dominate the experience.
- Rendering and VFX. Blender, Redshift, Octane. Time savings turn into billables fast.
- Scientific and data. CUDA accelerated workloads, simulations, and data engineering.
- Other PoW networks. Niche coins still target GPUs. Treat them like experiments and check liquidity before you commit.
- Compute marketplaces. Rent your GPU to others in a controlled setup if you are willing to run a tight ship.
PoW due diligence that actually matters
- Algorithm fit. Memory bound vs core heavy. Know what your card is good at.
- Liquidity. Where to sell, spreads, and depth. Thin books erase gains.
- Emission and difficulty. Watch inflation and hashrate trends, not just price.
- Dev activity. Ship velocity beats hype every time.
- Pool decentralization. One pool dominance is a risk you do not need.
Best picks by use case
Instead of a fake top 10 for ETH, use buckets that age well. Match the job to the class of card.
- AI heavy. 24 GB class or higher for fewer compromises. Favor strong memory bandwidth and stable driver support.
- Balanced dev box. 12 to 16 GB class for local inference, light fine tunes, and general compute without drama.
- Render first. Cards that your render engine benchmarks well with, plus cooling that keeps clocks high.
- Frugal PoW experiments. Efficient cards with good perf per watt. Only if your power rate makes sense.
Smart ways to repurpose your old mining rig
- Home lab GPU node. Proxmox or Kubernetes for scheduled inference and batch jobs.
- Media and render box. Turn time saved into client work or content output.
- Edge AI. On prem transcription, analytics, and low latency copilots with your data.
- Winter heat reuse. Useful compute that also warms the room is not the worst combo.
Cost reality check
Model scenarios with power, cooling, downtime, pool fees, and hardware wear. If small swings in price or difficulty delete profit, call it a hobby and enjoy it like one.
Security basics
- Keep wallets off machines that run random containers or miners.
- Patch drivers and containers on a cadence. Old images get you popped.
- Monitor temps and power. Throttling taxes yield and stability.
FAQ
Can I still mine Ethereum with an NVIDIA GPU?
No. Ethereum moved to Proof of Stake, so GPU mining ETH no longer earns block rewards. If a pool claims otherwise, steer clear.
What should I look for in a GPU for AI work?
Prioritize VRAM capacity, memory bandwidth, and stable driver support. 12 GB is a comfortable floor for many models, and 24 GB opens up larger fine-tunes and context windows.
Is renting my GPU safer than mining other coins?
It removes coin price swings but adds ops and security work. Your returns depend on uptime, booking rate, and how much VRAM you offer.
What are good non-ETH GPU targets?
AI inference and fine-tuning, rendering and VFX, scientific workloads, and select Proof of Work networks that still favor GPUs. Always check liquidity and difficulty trends first.
Do I need a data center to do any of this?
No. A single well-cooled workstation can handle meaningful AI inference and light fine-tuning. For bigger jobs, batch overnight or rent extra compute on demand.