<p>I wouldn't use them to mine.</p>

<p>Since GPUs back then couldn't do arbitrary calculations, the only thing you can use are the CPUs. CPUs are relatively better at mining scrypt (e.g. Litecoin) than SHA256 (e.g. Bitcoin), so let's go with that. Based on the oldest <a href="https://litecoin.info/Mining_hardware_comparison#Intel" rel="nofollow">CPUs listed</a> (which aren't quite old enough) on Litecoin's wiki, I'm going to guess that each computer can do 5 kH/s, which is probably being too generous. So that's a total of 100 kH/s. Plugging that into <a href="http://www.coinwarz.com/calculators/litecoin-mining-calculator/?h=100.00&amp;p=500.00&amp;pc=0.10&amp;pf=0.00&amp;d=7338.31295246&amp;r=50.00000000&amp;er=0.02433238&amp;btcer=430.04000000&amp;hc=0.00" rel="nofollow">a calculator</a>, even with assuming (another probably-too-generous assumption) 500 W total are used (that wouldn't otherwise be used), you're losing money if you have to pay for the electricity and/or cooling. (making maybe $0.14 per day, pre-expenses)</p>

<p>For comparison, a <a href="https://litecoin.info/Mining_hardware_comparison#AMD_.28ATI.29" rel="nofollow">modern GPU</a> can mine around 1400 kH/s for ~500 W ($2.01/day pre-expenses). Or a dedicated <a href="http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B00HL4MEG6" rel="nofollow">Bitcoin miner</a> could actually <a href="http://www.bitcoinx.com/profit/" rel="nofollow">turn a profit</a> ($4.84/day pre-epenses) in a reasonable amount of time (of course, you're basically betting on/investing in the future of Bitcoin by buying something like that, which involves a good deal of risk/uncertainty).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-07T14:58:29.773Z
@bobSmith1432 You're probably right. Since the result is negative even with way too much generosity all around, I doubt it matters much. And really, without more info on the scenario, (e.g. what sort of CPUs, are they on anyway, how much does power and cooling cost) we're both just making wild guesses.
Tim S.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-06T14:59:01.070Z
2014-05-07T14:49:46.117Z
2014-05-07T14:49:46.117Z
Tim S.
<p>From a power standpoint it would be much more expensive than mining with a normal machine. Bitcoin CPU mining has been phased out by GPUs and GPUs have been phased out by ASICs. </p>

<p>There are some coins which are more effective by CPU or are not yet implemented in GPU. I would say this is your best possible chance at netting a return even on just the power consumption of your rigs. There is a well-maintained list available at <a href="http://cpucoinlist.com/" rel="nofollow">http://cpucoinlist.com/</a> make sure to google the algorithm + GPU (e.g. "X11 GPU") to make sure there is no GPU mining.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-06T20:12:20.443Z
"CPU mining has been phased out by GPUs and GPUs have been phased out by ASICs." 

GPUs has been phased out by FPGAs, and FPGAs were phased out by ASICs.
Maciej Mączko
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-06T14:58:28.120Z
2014-05-06T14:58:28.120Z
Mark
<p>Is it worth using about 20 old dell workstations to mine at once? They have ancient hardware from about 2003-2005. Would it be better to use than one computer from modern time?</p>

<mining-profitability><cpu-mining>
Mining with multiple older computers
YoItsJoe
# Mining with multiple older computers

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-05-06)

Is it worth using about 20 old dell workstations to mine at once? They have ancient hardware from about 2003-2005. Would it be better to use than one computer from modern time?

**Tags:** mining-profitability, cpu-mining


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-05-06. Score: 4

I wouldn't use them to mine.

Since GPUs back then couldn't do arbitrary calculations, the only thing you can use are the CPUs. CPUs are relatively better at mining scrypt (e.g. Litecoin) than SHA256 (e.g. Bitcoin), so let's go with that. Based on the oldest [CPUs listed](https://litecoin.info/Mining_hardware_comparison#Intel) (which aren't quite old enough) on Litecoin's wiki, I'm going to guess that each computer can do 5 kH/s, which is probably being too generous. So that's a total of 100 kH/s. Plugging that into [a calculator](http://www.coinwarz.com/calculators/litecoin-mining-calculator/?h=100.00&p=500.00&pc=0.10&pf=0.00&d=7338.31295246&r=50.00000000&er=0.02433238&btcer=430.04000000&hc=0.00), even with assuming (another probably-too-generous assumption) 500 W total are used (that wouldn't otherwise be used), you're losing money if you have to pay for the electricity and/or cooling. (making maybe $0.14 per day, pre-expenses)

For comparison, a [modern GPU](https://litecoin.info/Mining_hardware_comparison#AMD_.28ATI.29) can mine around 1400 kH/s for ~500 W ($2.01/day pre-expenses). Or a dedicated [Bitcoin miner](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B00HL4MEG6) could actually [turn a profit](http://www.bitcoinx.com/profit/) ($4.84/day pre-epenses) in a reasonable amount of time (of course, you're basically betting on/investing in the future of Bitcoin by buying something like that, which involves a good deal of risk/uncertainty).

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: @bobSmith1432 You're probably right. Since the result is negative even with way too much generosity all around, I doubt it matters much. And really, without more info on the scenario, (e.g. what sort of CPUs, are they on anyway, how much does power and cooling cost) we're both just making wild guesses.  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2014-05-06. Score: 0

From a power standpoint it would be much more expensive than mining with a normal machine. Bitcoin CPU mining has been phased out by GPUs and GPUs have been phased out by ASICs.

There are some coins which are more effective by CPU or are not yet implemented in GPU. I would say this is your best possible chance at netting a return even on just the power consumption of your rigs. There is a well-maintained list available at <http://cpucoinlist.com/> make sure to google the algorithm + GPU (e.g. "X11 GPU") to make sure there is no GPU mining.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: "CPU mining has been phased out by GPUs and GPUs have been phased out by ASICs."   GPUs has been phased out by FPGAs, and FPGAs were phased out by ASICs.  

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