Intel is developing a processor for...
15
04
Intel is developing a processor for Bitcoin mining?
Save gamers ...?
The use of GPUs for cryptocurrency mining, which has been a headache for gamers and environmental protection activities. Meanwhile, Intel seems to be entering the Bitcoin mining business.
According to a reporter from Tom's Hardware, Intel will give a presentation on the new processor "Bonanza Mine" at the ISSCC (International Solid-State Circuits Conference) to be held on February 20th. And this processor is said to be an "ultra-low voltage and energy efficient Bitcoin mining ASIC". ASIC is an abbreviation for "Application Specific Integrated Circuit".
In fact, Intel, the person in charge of GPU development last year, Raja Koduri said in a live distribution that "we are developing hardware specialized for cryptocurrency excavation." In addition, according to Tom's Hardware, the company has previously applied for several patents on the cryptographic hash function "SHA-256" used to verify cryptocurrency transactions.
If Intel releases its own cryptocurrency mining chip, it will compete with Bitmain, a Chinese company that manufactures similar ASIC processors. However, Intel already has experience in this area, including support for SHA-256 Extensions on Ice Lake processors and later.
This is good news for Bitcoin miners, but what about gamers? In this regard, Koduri said, "The external GPU for games should be separate from the processor dedicated to cryptocurrency mining."
"Blockchain technology is a process that should be performed much more efficiently than the current hardware cycle," Koduri said. "It's not the GPU. The GPU should do other great things like graphics and games."
"It's possible to do much more efficient blockchain processing at a much lower cost and with less power. We're working on that and hopefully provide interesting hardware in the not too distant future. "
This is a very encouraging statement, but Intel is not working hard to prevent the next GPU "Arc Alchemist" from being used for cryptocurrency excavation. Unless you implement a hash rate limiter like NVIDIA or AMD, it will be inevitable to be diverted by miners like other GPUs.
Arc Alchemist is Intel's first external GPU in decades, and details will be revealed within a few weeks. Also note that Bonanza Mine may be announced on February 23rd during the ISSCC.
