Intel Launches Blocksclae, Newest Bitcoin Mining Chip, High Hash Rate And Energy Efficient

Blockscale will have a hash rate of up to 580 gigahashes per second. (photo: twitter @bitcoinagile)

JAKARTA - On Monday, March 4, semiconductor manufacturing giant Intel Corp. unveiled its new Bitcoin (BTC) mining chip, dubbed Blockscale. These application-specific integrated circuits, or ASICs, are hardware designed to operate on a proof-of-work blockchain using SHA-256 encryption.

According to Intel, Blockscale will have a hash rate of up to 580 gigahashes per second (or 0.58 terahashes per second, TH/s). These chips consume between 4.8 to 22.7 watts of power, and have an energy efficiency of up to 26 joules per terahash (J/TH). Each chip can be combined and combined into a single mining unit, increasing its output by a maximum of 256 integrated circuits per chain.

In comparison, Bitmain's Antminer S19 Pro, one of the leading Bitcoin mining machines on the market, has a hash rate of 110 TH/s, consumes 3,250 watts of power, and has an energy efficiency of 30 J/TH.

Theoretically, a mining unit consisting of 256 Blockscale chips would have a total hash rate of 148.5 TH/s and consume between 1,228 to 5,811 watts of power with almost the same energy efficiency.

Intel said it will begin shipping Blockscale during the third quarter of 2022. Argo Blockchain, Block, Hive Blockchain Technologies, and GRIID Infrastructure will be among the first companies to develop a new system based on the company's ASIC.

Jose Rios, general manager of blockchain and business solutions in the accelerated computing systems and graphics group at Intel, responded positively to Blockscale's launch.

"We are proud to collaborate with and provide solutions to companies that are creating a more sustainable cryptocurrency ecosystem globally. Intel Blockscale ASIC will play a major role in helping Bitcoin mining companies achieve their sustainability goals and hash rate scale in the years to come," Rios was quoted as saying. Cointelegraph.