Bitmain has officially introduced the next generation of its ASIC miners for the kHeavyHash algorithm (Kaspa cryptocurrency) on its X.com account. While ASICs for Bitcoin see energy efficiency improvements of 10-20% with each new generation, the new Antminer KS5 boasts energy efficiency two and a half times better than its predecessor, the Antminer KS3, which, I remind you, was introduced not so long ago - in August 2023. This entire situation with ASICs for Kaspa resembles the era of the first SHA-256 ASIC models, when the energy efficiency improvement of new mining devices was measured in hundreds of percent.
Bitmain has announced two models in the new generation: the standard Antminer KS5 and its enhanced version, the Antminer KS5 PRO. The differences in characteristics are minimal, as they both have the same energy efficiency of 150J/Th. The only difference lies in their hash rates, with the higher-end model having a higher energy consumption corresponding to its hash rate. The cost per 1 TH for both models is the same at $1499 USD. Therefore, the base model at 20TH/s for pre-order will cost $29,980 USD.
| ASIC |
Antminer KS3 1st Batch |
Antminer KS3 |
Antminer KS5 |
Antminer KS5 PRO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Release date | august 2023 | august 2023 | march 2024 | march 2024 |
| Algorithm | kHeavyHash | kHeavyHash | kHeavyHash | kHeavyHash |
| Hashrate, TH/s | 8,3 | 9,4 | 20 | 21 |
| TDP. W | 3188 | 3500 | 3000 | 3150 |
| Energy efficiency, J/TH | 384 | 372 | 150 | 150 |
| Starting price, USD | 49800 | ? | 29980 | 31479 |
To compare the mining innovations for Kaspa from Bitmain with other models, one can visit the website Profit-mine.com, where equipment profitability can also be calculated.
As of now, the Bitmain Antminer KS5 will break even in 134 days, but it's worth noting that the first shipments will only begin in March, and the situation may change significantly by the time you receive your KS3.
