Biostar Crammed 8 Radeon RX 580 GPUs Into A Mining Rig Because It Didn't Read The Room
Last night I stubbed my toe on the way to the bathroom and it hurt like the dickens. Then this morning as I was sorting through my inbox I came across an email from Biostar announcing another pre-built mining rig, the iMiner A588X8D2, stuffed with no less than eight Radeon RX 580 graphics cards. I'd have rather stubbed my toe again.
Look, am I salty? Of course I am, the headline is a dead giveaway. I realize Biostar has every right to do whatever it pleases with the GPUs it can procure. Heck, if people would pay a premium for it, Biostar would be within its right to drill holes through the GPUs and sell them as oversized keychains. That doesn't mean I have to like it, though.
This is part of the reason why we can't have nice things. Or at least GPUs at fair prices. Scalpers and miners keep getting first dibs, while gamers have to deal with price hikes, forced bundles, and vendors stashing the hottest tech items behind pricey paywalls under as exclusive perks for their membership programs.
So yes, I'm a little salty about Biostar flaunting another iMiner setup. I'm not suggesting everyone is clamoring for a Radeon RX 580 graphics card, but even those command big premiums in today's market. Marketplace sellers have them listed for anywhere from $500 to $800. Bear in mind that the Radeon RX 580 launched five years ago...$229 (MSRP).
The latest iMiner pairs all those graphics cards with an Intel G4900 processor and 8GB of DDR4 memory. It can run Windows, Linux, or HiveOS and apparently delivers an ETH hash rate of 232 MH/s. Biostar is pitching this as a "viable path" even for inexperienced miners, and it's evidently sitting on a mountain of GPUs.
"Further, Biostar guarantees availability in large quantities for any interested parties. It is a great opportunity for mining enthusiasts and professionals to get their hands on professionally assembled mining equipment in bulk," Biostar states.
The iMiner A588X8D is a follow-up to Biostar's previous generation iMiner A578X8D that posits "crypto mining can be so fashionable and easy!" I miss the days when the same could be said about PC gaming.
