In this guide, we’ll break down some common crypto jargon and explain what it means in plain English (or as close to plain English as possible).

First up: ASICs vs GPUs. If you’ve been following the world of cryptocurrency mining for any length of time, you’re probably familiar with these two terms. But if not, let us enlighten you!

ASIC stands for Application-Specific Integrated Circuit. Essentially, it’s a specialized computer chip designed specifically to perform one task: mine cryptocurrencies. ASICs are incredibly efficient at this task because they have been optimized for the specific algorithms used by popular coins like Bitcoin and Litecoin.

On the other hand, GPUs (or Graphics Processing Units) were originally designed to handle complex graphics processing tasks in video games and other visual applications. However, due to their ability to perform many calculations simultaneously, they have also become popular for mining cryptocurrencies.

So which one is better? Well, that depends on a few factors. ASICs are generally more efficient at mining than GPUs because they’re specifically designed for the task. This means that you can mine more coins with less power and fewer resources. However, ASICs also tend to be much more expensive than GPUs, which makes them less accessible to smaller-scale miners or those just starting out in the world of cryptocurrency mining.

GPUs, on the other hand, are generally cheaper than ASICs but not as efficient at mining. This means that you’ll need to use more power and resources to mine the same number of coins with a GPU compared to an ASIC. However, GPUs can be used for other tasks besides mining (like gaming or video editing), which makes them a better choice if you want to get some value out of your hardware beyond just cryptocurrency mining.

A quick and casual guide to the efficiency gap between ASICs and GPUs in mining. We hope this helps clarify some of the jargon and make the world of crypto a little less confusing for everyone.