Yet, it is still quite tricky to find the best mining motherboard. There are quite a number of factors to consider, like the number of GPU support, price, and availability. In this guide, I’ll help you find the right board for your mining rig. It also includes other useful insights to help you get the most out of your mining setup.
Best Motherboard for Crypto Mining Overview
How to Choose the Best Mining Rig Motherboard
Gone are the days when you could easily mine crypto with CPU. Well, while you still can, the mining rate will be so slow, albeit with a very poor ROI. Today, GPU has become the most crucial part of a mining setup. In turn, the motherboard has become the next important component. That’s since, among other factors, the board dictates the number of GPUs that you can use. As such, choosing one of the best motherboards for crypto mining ensures you max out the full potential of your GPUs and the rig in general. Remember, it links all the other components of your computer. It is a no-brainer that your mining rig will require a high-quality motherboard. You will be running the rig 24/7 while maxing the number of cryptos you can generate at any given time. With this in mind, you need to consider these three important factors:
GPU Support
An ideal mining rig should be able to handle about 8 GPUs. That is a setup that can give you a positive ROI, whether you are doing it as a hobby or a professional miner. But keep in mind that some cheaply designed boards offer a huge number of GPU support but fail at performance. So, you want to get a quality motherboards with at least 6 GPU slots to ensure stability and performance.
Processor Socket Type
The processor socket type dictates the type of processor you will use. That’s whether it will be Intel or AMD. As well as the generation of the CPU. Since you will be using a GPU for your mining, you don’t need to invest in a high-end processor. And therefore, you don’t need to get a board that supports the most up-to-date CPU. In fact, I recommend using a low-end to mid-range CPU. And that’s the same case with RAM. Both have a low impact on the setup.
Price and Availability
At this point, you should have narrowed down your choices to the most stable boards with at least 6 GPU support. The next factor to consider is price. With a rise in the crypto mining craze, PC components are becoming more and more expensive. The demand is so high, also since more and more people are working from home. Due to the huge demand, it’s getting more difficult to access quality boards. As such, you’ll also want to consider the price and availability of your ideal motherboard for mining crypto.
Should You Use a Used Motherboard for a Mining Rig?
For your first mining rig, I would highly recommend using a used motherboard. Given that the best boards are quite pricey and hard to find starting out with a used board makes absolute sense. That allows you to put much of your investment in high-quality GPUs. Remember, these are arguably the most crucial part of the mining rig. But once you have about 6-8 GPU Motherboard, then you can consider investing in a dedicated mining motherboard and CPU. By this far, you should be able to measure how much you can invest depending on what type of crypto-miner you want to become.
8 Best Mining Motherboards
Asus B250 Mining Expert – Best Overall
The Asus B250 is the world’s first 19 GPU mining motherboard. It also features an onboard mining mode that allows it to stand out among the best motherboards for mining crypto today.
Form Factor: ATX Number of Memory Slots: 2 x DDR4 DIMM GPU Slots: 19 GPU Motherboard Processor Supported: 7th and 6th Generation Intel Core i7/i5/i3/Pentium/Celeron (Socket 1151) Expansion Slots: 1 x PCI Express 3.0 x16, 18 x PCI Express 2.0 x1
The B250 features an onboard mode that is specifically designed for mining. It can maximize the hash rate while maintaining the voltage with components. It also includes Overvoltage Protection and LANGuard. These are some of the notable quality standards that you should expect from Asus. But the main drawback of this motherboard is its limited supply. It gets extremely difficult to find it at times, something that makes its price shoot up even higher! The Asus B250 Mining Expert is a miner’s dream! Its special mining feature, support for 19 GPUs, and stability allow it to stand out as the most reliable mining motherboard for an intel build.
ASRock H110 Pro BTC+ – Best Value
The ASRock H110 Pro BTC+ offers great mining features and a solid performance at a reasonable price.
Form Factor: ATX Number of Memory Slots: 2 x DDR4 DIMM GPU Slots: 13 GPU Motherboard Processor Supported: 7th and 6th Generation Intel Core i7/i5/i3/Pentium/Celeron (Socket 1151) Expansion Slots: 1 x PCI Express 3.0 x16, 12 x PCI Express 2.0 x1
The ASRock H110 Pro BTC+ is yet another reliable mining motherboard for an Intel build. It features a strong build quality with 13 GPU support. Its PCIe slots are so close together, which can be a hurdle when setting it up. But this can easily be solved by using electrical tape around the risers. This effectively prevents the extensions from “touching” each other. Some users have also reported issues with you fully populating the GPU ports. I recommend getting it if you’re planning to use about 6 to 8 GPUs. The ASRock H110 Pro BTC+ would be suitable for experienced miners who want to build a reliable mining rig at reasonable pricing. That said, this board isn’t beginner-friendly due to the cramped-up PCIe slots.
GIGABYTE Z390 UD – Best Budget
The Gigabyte Z390 UD is a budget-priced motherboard that I would recommend to beginners. With it, you can build a dual mining and gaming rig as you learn your way into GPU mining crypto.
Form Factor: ATX Number of Memory Slots: 4 x DDR4 DIMM GPU Slots: 6 GPU Motherboard Processor Supported: Intel 8th and 9th Gen Core i9/i7/i5/i3, Celeron, and Pentium Expansion Slots: 3 x PCI Express 3.0 x16, 3 x PCI Express x1
The Z390 UD is ultra-durable, affordable, and beginner-friendly. It makes a perfect fit for entry-level crypto miners who would want to build an Intel-based mining rig on a budget. My favorite feature about this board is the PCIe connectors. Gigabyte has reinforced them with one-piece stainless steel shielding for extra strength. It gives you some peace of mind when using heavy GPUs. The Gigabyte Z390 UD offers solid features for supporting GPU mining rig components at an affordable price. I would recommend it to beginners who want to build a dual gaming/mining rig on a budget.
Biostar TB360-BTC PRO 2.0 – Best Under $300 with 12 PCIe Slots
The Biostar TB360-BTC PRO 2.0 is yet another dedicated mining motherboard to feature on the list. It can support up to 12 GPUs and Intel 6th/7th Gen CPUs.
Form Factor: ATX Number of Memory Slots: 2 x DDR4 DIMM GPU Slots: 12 GPU Motherboard Processor Supported: Intel 8th and 9th Gen Core i9/i7/i5/i3, Celeron, and Pentium Expansion Slots: 11 x PCIe 3.0 x1 Slot, 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16 Slot
The Biostar TB360-BTC PRO 2.0 supports two power supplies at the same time. And you don’t need to set up jumpers. Its dual PSU capability allows you to get all the power you need for a dedicated GPU mining rig. What’s more, it also features SUPER LAN Surge Protection that protects your rig from damage due to electrical surges. The Biostar TB360-BTC PRO 2.0 PCIe slots are properly separated compared to the ASRock H110 Pro BTC+. A feature that makes it easy for beginners to set it up during the building process.
ZOTAC B150 Mining ATX Motherboard – Decent Mining Motherboard
ZOTAC isn’t a very popular name in the world of PC components. But the ZOTAC B150 is quite a decent mining motherboard that supports 7 GPUs out of the box.
Form Factor: ATX Number of Memory Slots: 2 x DDR4 GPU Slots: 8 GPU Motherboard Processor Supported: Intel 7th/6th Gen Core i3, i5, i7 (up to 65W) Expansion Slots: 1 x PCIe x16, 7 x PCIe x1
The ZOTAC B150 mining board allows you to build an Intel-based mining rig. It supports Intel 6th/7th Gen CPUs of up to 65W. It comes with all the other standards that you would expect from a mining board. That’s including support for up to 32 GB of DDR4 RAM, Intel HD Graphics ready, and an HDMI output. The ZOTAC B150 is specifically designed for building a cryptocurrency mining rig. And unlike the competition like ASRock and Asus, this board is very accessible.
ASUS Prime Z390-P LGA1151 – Perfect for Gaming and Mining Rig
Most hobbyist crypto miners recommend about 6 GPUs for an ideal mining rig. And the Asus Prime Z390-P LGA1151 provides you with just about the same number of GPU support.
Form Factor: ATX Number of Memory Slots: 4 x DDR4 GPU Slots: 6 GPU Motherboard Processor Supported: Intel Socket 1151 8th/9th Gen Core i7/i5/i3/Pentium/Celeron Expansion Slots: 2 x PCI Express 3.0 x16, 4 x PCI Express 3.0 x1
The Asus Prime Z390-P is yet another great board for building a mining setup that can also double as a gaming rig. Actually, you can even use your PC as your everyday computer. Thanks for its solid design that offers reliability and performance. You also get protection safeguards, LANGuard, overvoltage protection, M.2 drives, and an AIO Pump Header. If you’re looking to get into crypto mining as a hobby and still do some gaming with your PC, then the Asus Prime Z390-P will suit your needs. It also offers well-rounded specs and features for daily users and content creators.
CREAMIC BTC-37 Mining Motherboard – Best Mining Motherboard with Built-in CPU + Fan
The CREAMIC BTC-37 delivers three crucial things to your mining setup; support for 8 GPUs, built-in CPU and fan, and low power consumption. It’s also budget-priced and quite accessible!
Form Factor: ATX Number of Memory Slots: 1x DDR3 GPU Slots: 8 GPU Motherboard Processor Supported: Included with the Board Expansion Slots: 8 x PCIe x16
The CREAMIC BTC-37 is a motherboard-CPU set for building a mining machine. It promises low power consumption with low heat generation. That means savings on your power costs! The PCIe slots are sparsely placed to ensure that your work will only be plug and play. And my favorite feature with this board is the stabilized capacitors that provide a stable voltage for all your components. The CREAMIC BTC-37 mining motherboard would suit beginners who want to set up a decent mining rig with much ease. It’s affordable, stable, comes with a built-in CPU, and offers support for up to 8 GPUs.
Biostar TB250-BTC Pro – A Reliable Mining Board When Setup Properly
The Biostar TB250-BTC Pro is a solid mining board when set up properly. It offers advanced mining features with support for up to 12 GPUs. All at a very competitive price!
Form Factor: ATX Number of Memory Slots: 2 x DDR4 DIMM GPU Slots: 12 GPU Motherboard Processor Supported: Intel 7th/6th Gen Core i7/ i5/ i3/ Pentium/ Celeron (LGA1151) Expansion Slots: 1 x PCI Express 3.0 x16, 11 x PCI Express 2.0 x1
When using Windows, you can only run up to 6 AMD GPUs or up to 8 NVIDIA GPUs. But with a Linux build, you should be able to populate all slots with either all 12 AMD or all 12 NVIDIA GPUs. The Biostar TB250-BTC Pro is the right investment for experienced miners who want to scale up their mining operations. You get a very powerful mining board that can run with one CPU and other PC peripherals, all while supporting 12 GPUs.
