The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Coin Mining?

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by Bartlett, Aug 6, 2014.

  1. Bartlett

    Bartlett The Prophet

    Reputations:
    336
    Messages:
    1,860
    Likes Received:
    14
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Hey everyone,

    I was just wondering if anyone does Litecoin, Dogecoin, Bitcoin, etc mining with their AW?
     
  2. Meaker@Sager

    Meaker@Sager Company Representative

    Reputations:
    9,436
    Messages:
    58,194
    Likes Received:
    17,902
    Trophy Points:
    931
    Typically not so much on notebooks due to the limited thermal environment. That along with no access to the highest level compute chips. I've seen a couple though.
     
  3. MogRules

    MogRules Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    1,228
    Messages:
    1,649
    Likes Received:
    973
    Trophy Points:
    131
    For bitcoin mining it just wouldn't be practical I don't think. Most mining has moved far beyond what our laptops would be possible of pulling off. The set-ups that people run for this now are just monstrous. It is getting to the point where you need a data centre to make any amount of progress, and the hardware is so backlogged because people snap it up as soon as it becomes available.

    Can't say for the other forms as I never really followed them at all.
     
  4. amitvig22

    amitvig22 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    101
    Messages:
    244
    Likes Received:
    37
    Trophy Points:
    41
    The amount of CPU/GPU utilization that these coin miners take up. It will not only make your AW unusable.

    Its also not so great for the health. If you want something you may want to build a custom computer or buy one of those miners.

    I know that the bitcoin miner is now useless. The rate at which it will mine you a coin, you might not even break even anytime soon with that.
     
  5. Alienware-L_Porras

    Alienware-L_Porras Company Representative

    Reputations:
    3,658
    Messages:
    6,874
    Likes Received:
    969
    Trophy Points:
    281
    Definitely no, they are really CPU/GPU intensive and could damage it or simply perform slowly.
     
  6. Bartlett

    Bartlett The Prophet

    Reputations:
    336
    Messages:
    1,860
    Likes Received:
    14
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Well so long as temperatures are in check, I don't see how anything could be damaged. I most likely will end up shortening the lifespan of the components by a bit though. Based on what everyone is saying, plus after some of my own testing, I would only end up making about $1 a week, which is not worth it by any means.

    Thanks for the responses!
     
  7. TomJGX

    TomJGX I HATE BGA!

    Reputations:
    1,456
    Messages:
    8,707
    Likes Received:
    3,315
    Trophy Points:
    431
    The electricity will probably cost more :p
     
  8. Bartlett

    Bartlett The Prophet

    Reputations:
    336
    Messages:
    1,860
    Likes Received:
    14
    Trophy Points:
    56
    It's free for me where I'm at :D
     
  9. TomJGX

    TomJGX I HATE BGA!

    Reputations:
    1,456
    Messages:
    8,707
    Likes Received:
    3,315
    Trophy Points:
    431
    And where might that be? Remember, there is nothing free in life.. Someone will always have to pay for it :)