Mining Secrets: A Practical Guide to Earning Cryptocurrency with a Home Computer

Bitcoin is no longer the favorite for home miners, but that doesn’t mean you can’t mine coins at home. If the volatility of cryptocurrency investments is too much for you but you want a slice of the blockchain pie, setting up a small-scale mining system at home might be just right for you. Although mining profits seem very attractive, we must seriously remind you: cloud mining is basically a scam.

Which coins are worth mining at home?

Not all coins are suitable for home mining. The most beginner-friendly coins usually share a common feature: they don’t require you to invest astronomical hardware costs.

Bitcoin could be mined with a laptop back in the day, but now? It has long become a game of ASIC miners. The computational threshold is too high; home computers simply can’t compete. But don’t be discouraged—other popular coins still offer opportunities for home miners in 2024.

Dogecoin (Dogecoin / DOGE)

Latest Data

• Circulating Market Cap: $18.54B
• 24-hour Trading Volume: $34.37M

This meme-originated coin has been embraced by Elon Musk and a large fanbase. DOGE’s design feature is that it increases the supply of coins each year, unlike Bitcoin which has a fixed supply. This is a big advantage for miners—your labor results will never be diluted by deflation.

Mining Method: Use CPUminer software for CPU mining, but it will be slow. Want faster? Switch to GPU. Both AMD and Nvidia graphics cards work, with cgminer or cudaminer software. Solo mining can be easy to fall behind; joining a mining pool like MultiPool is recommended to pool computing power and increase output. The mined coins can be sold on exchanges.

Ethereum Classic (Ethereum Classic / ETC)

Latest Data

• Circulating Market Cap: $1.79B
• 24-hour Trading Volume: $2.76M

After Ethereum shifted to proof-of-stake in 2022, many miners who previously mined Ethereum turned to Ethereum Classic. ETC inherits Ethereum’s technology but maintains the POW mining mechanism, making the difficulty less intimidating.

Mining Method: ETC can be mined with ASIC miners or regular computers. Desktop-grade GPUs are fully capable. Mined ETC can be traded on exchanges.

Monero (XMR)

Features: This is a privacy-focused coin, designed to resist ASICs, making it very suitable for home mining.

Mining Method: Download the official GUI wallet to store coins, then use software like MultiMiner. Once configured, you can start mining. Although slower than GPU mining, it is very friendly for beginners.

ZCash (ZEC)

Latest Data

• Circulating Market Cap: $6.36B
• 24-hour Trading Volume: $15.25M

Launched in 2016, this privacy coin uses the Equihash algorithm, which is naturally resistant to ASICs. Home GPUs can handle it easily.

Mining Method: Download ZCash client and wallet, sync the blockchain, then start mining. You need to install GPU drivers. Detailed tutorials are available online.

Other noteworthy coins

Ravencoin (RVN)

• Circulating Market Cap: $350M
• Features: Asset transfer chain, KAWPOW algorithm resistant to ASICs

Bitcoin Gold (BTG)

• Circulating Market Cap: $785M
• Features: A fork of Bitcoin, active project but with moderate activity, decent trading volume

Horizen (ZEN)

• Circulating Market Cap: $202M
• Features: Based on Equihash, balancing privacy and cross-chain interoperability

Beam (BEAM)

• Circulating Market Cap: $5.50M
• Features: Implements MimbleWimble privacy protocol, Hashii algorithm supports GPU

Grin (GRIN)

• Circulating Market Cap: $7.11M
• Features: Also based on MimbleWimble, enforced hard forks every six months to prevent ASIC monopolies

Vertcoin (VTC) and AEON are also good options, but with smaller market caps and liquidity.

How much can you earn mining with a home PC?

CPU vs GPU: The difference in earnings is huge

Mining with CPU at home (e.g., Monero, ZCash, Bytecoin) is theoretically possible, but the reality is tough. Slow mining speeds and high electricity costs can make it unprofitable.

GPU is the real choice. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 or 3080 graphics cards are popular, priced from around $600 to $2000. The reason? Significant differences in hash power.

Hash rate is measured in Hashes per second—MH/s (million hashes/sec). The more expensive the GPU, the higher the hash rate, but also the more power it consumes.

Key factors in calculating earnings

Use the website WhatToMine; input your hardware specs to estimate expected earnings. But actual profits are affected by these factors:

1. Coin price fluctuations: When prices go up, you earn more; when they fall, less. This is the biggest variable.
2. Electricity costs: Higher hash rates consume more power. The average electricity price in the US is about 16.11 cents per kWh, but varies greatly—cheaper states like Idaho at 7.99 cents, expensive ones like Hawaii at 43.18 cents, a difference of over 5 times. Globally, Myanmar is the cheapest.

Practical case: 13 GPU mining farm operation

A professional GPU miner shared his experience:

Hardware setup:

• 13 low-cost Intel computers, Windows 10
• Main focus on motherboards supporting 8+ GPUs (Z390 chipset boards)
• Speed isn’t critical; CPUs can be Celeron or i9, since GPU is the core
• Each machine equipped with 8 AMD RX580 or RX5700 XT graphics cards
• Open-frame cases with 120mm fans for cooling

Profit data:

• Daily income per machine: $20 (pre-tax)
• Electricity cost: $4/day
• Bear market: 13 machines earn about $500/month (electricity costs high)
• Bull market: 13 machines can earn up to $17,000/month (electricity costs become minor)

What does this tell us? Coin price determines everything. In bear markets, electricity is the main cost; in bull markets, electricity costs are negligible.

Practical considerations for expanding mining

Want to scale from small to larger operations? The main obstacles are not technology but heat dissipation and power supply.

A 1000-watt GPU rig is essentially a 1000-watt heater. Running 13 such units at home requires full-capacity air conditioning to keep the room temperature manageable. Power access is also an issue—standard residential circuits may not support it.

Final advice

• Beginners without hardware: Start with CPU mining Monero or Vertcoin, with minimal investment.
• Willing to invest: GPU mining offers the highest ROI; start small with 3-5 cards.
• Long-term coin prospects: Don’t focus solely on short-term gains; holding mined coins might be more profitable than immediate cash-out.
• Avoid cloud mining: Those promising guaranteed returns are scams—learned the hard way.

Mining with a PC is entirely feasible, but requires rational assessment of electricity costs, coin prices, and market cycles. Choose the right coins, set up your hardware properly, and you can participate in the blockchain economy right from your home.