Nicehash, a cryptocurrency mining firm, has announced a partial hash rate unlock for Nvidia LHRv3 (Light Hash Rate version 3) GPUs. The QuickMiner application can use 90% of the possible Ethereum (ETH) mining power of the Ampere architecture LHRv3 graphics cards, rather than 100%.
The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB and RTX 3080 12GB for desktops are Nvidia’s only LHRv3 graphics cards at the time of writing. Both of these GPUs are not included in our Best Graphics Cards for Gaming in 2022 list. Miners were formerly only allowed to mine at about half of the theoretical capability of those cards.
With the release of the GeForce RTX 3060 in February 2021, Nvidia was the first to utilize LHR technologies. The RTX 3080, 3070, 3060 Ti, and 3060 cards received new LHRv2 variations in the summer, and the RTX 3080 Ti and 3070 Ti have always featured LHRv2. In 2022, the GeForce RTX 3050 8GB and RTX 3080 12GB were released with a redesigned LHRv3. They were all just described/branded as ‘LHR’ edition graphics cards – no version numbers were provided, which was confusing. All Nvidia RTX30 series GPUs are now either fully or 90% unlocked, according to Nicehash.
There isn’t much information to provide about the current version of NiceHash QuickMiner v0.5.4.2 RC. The ETH mining app unlocks 90% of LHRv3 cards and provides “significant stability enhancements.”
Nvidia driver version 512.15 or above is required for the new release
The 90 percent LHRv3 unlock follows the 100 percent LHR unlock earlier reported. Nicehash supplied hash rate guideline numbers to demonstrate the advantages of their most recent software. The values above indicate “tuned” performance, which entails maxing out your memory overclock and then fine-tuning power and GPU clocks for maximum efficiency. The real performance of each card varies depending on cooling and other factors, so the RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition runs hot and won’t likely get above 110 MH/s, although other 3080 Ti cards could match the 3090’s 120 MH/s.
Some may be concerned that Nvidia’s LHR protections would be wiped out entirely. However, as values have been moving down, cryptocurrencies are rapidly losing attractiveness as a speculative investment. Furthermore, graphics card prices and supplies appear to be at an all-time high. As older cards are sold off before the next-gen releases, we may soon see pricing below MSRP. This could accelerate when miners lose interest and try to sell their GPU-powered machines
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