However, the major cause of damage to a graphics card – whether used for gaming or mining – is not taking proper care of the hardware components. In contrast, as playing games sees the GPU fluctuate between rapid cooling and rapid heating depending on the load, this could cause more damage in the long run. Unlike gaming, cryptocurrency mining doesn’t require a high-bandwidth connection between the video card and the rest of the system, so any type of PCIe slot works just fine, including tiny 1x. As miners seek to reach the highest possible hash rate, the GPU may reach high temperatures but will remain at a consistent one with a consistent workload. In fact, some cryptocurrency miners even suggest mining is less harmful to your graphics card than playing the latest AAA game is. Similarly, overclocking your GPU too often – whether for better hash rates or better gaming performance – can also cause irredeemable damage to the GPU. Now, an RTX 3080 card is being sold at a ticket price of 3,600 an astonishing figure compared with its regular price of 880 when virtual currency mining was not a trending topic. Playing demanding games and processing data using a GPU can also wear out a GPU when at high temperatures. However, before you go choosing your Lamborghini, its important to know that for every block, there are thousands of bitcoin miners each competing for the reward. This means that in theory, it will take just 10 minutes to mine 1 BTC (as part of the 6.25 BTC reward). However, mining is not alone in placing stress onto a GPU. Each Bitcoin block takes 10 minutes to mine. If you run your mining setup 24/7 at a high temperature – above 80 oC or 90 oC - the GPU could sustain damage that will severely affect its lifespan.

Mining harms your GPU in the sense that one of its by-products is producing excess heat. The 300 investment in 2 video cards has been paid off 3X+ at the current value and I still use the video cards in my high end PC. In total, I mined enough alt coins to now hold. I then traded these alt coins for Bitcoin. Is cryptocurrency mining bad for your graphics card? I bought 2 video cards 3 years ago and mined alt coins.

Mac video card for bitcoin mining