Undervolting GPUs: Reducing Power Consumption During Mining 🚀

Learn what GPU undervolting is and how it can reduce power consumption and increase crypto mining profitability. Step-by-step instructions for beginners, optimal settings for Nvidia and AMD, tips on choosing hardware, and how to safely store mined coins.

📱 What is undervolting?

Undervolting is the reduction of the voltage of a graphics processing unit (GPU ) or ASIC chip without significantly reducing the core clock. In mining, this is used to increase hashrate per unit of energy consumed. The authoritative website SkyPro notes that reducing voltage by 20–40% can reduce GPU power consumption by 20–40% with minimal loss in hashrate. Properly selected parameters can increase mining profitability: the savings, converted into watts, are equivalent to additional GH/s or MH/s for the same amount of money.

🌐 Why is this important?

Growing network complexity and high electricity prices make energy efficiency a key metric when selecting equipment. SkyPro emphasizes that professional miners value the hashrate-to-watt ratio much higher than the absolute hashrate. Cool-Mining.org calculated that reducing electricity bills by just 20% can increase net profit by 40–60% , and for large farms, this shortens the payback period for equipment. Furthermore, reducing voltage reduces heat generation and extends the lifespan of video cards and ASIC miners.

⚙️ How does undervolting work?

The method involves reducing the voltage supplied to the GPU and finding a “sweet spot” between power consumption and stability. This process typically involves:

Unlocking voltage control. In the popular MSI Afterburner utility for Windows, run the program as administrator, go to the settings, and enable ” Unlock voltage control .” Then restart the program – the Core Voltage slider will become available. Similar functions are available in EVGA Precision, AMD Wattman, and HiveOS settings.
Gradually reduce voltage. Reduce voltage in small steps (usually 10–20 mV) and simultaneously adjust the core and memory clock rates. SkyPro recommends adjusting the settings for each mining algorithm separately and gradually testing for stability.
Power Limit. In addition to voltage, it’s important to set the power consumption limit. Cool-Mining.org recommends setting the Power Limit according to the hashrate—this helps keep the card in energy-efficient mode.
Monitoring and adjustments. Monitor temperature, hashrate, and errors. Crazy-Mining.org notes that reducing voltage can increase net profit by 10–20% , but it’s important to check for stability and monitor errors.

💻 Example GPU setup

Let’s say you have an Nvidia GTX 1660 Super. By default, this card produces ~31 MH/s on the Ethash algorithm while consuming 80 W, resulting in a power efficiency of ~0.39 MH/W. After properly undervolting and configuring the memory, its power efficiency increases to 0.45–0.50 MH/W. For the AMD RX 580, reducing the voltage also allows you to reduce consumption from ~130 W to ~100 W without a noticeable loss in hashrate.

⚙️ ASIC miner undervolting

Traditional overclocking methods are limited for ASIC hardware, but manufacturers and third-party developers release custom firmware. According to Cool-Mining.org , the Braiins OS+ firmware for the Antminer S19j Pro reduces power consumption by 15–20% without affecting hashrate. Other firmware (Hiveon ASIC, VNish) also offer power-saving modes. After installing such firmware, select a profile focused on energy efficiency—reduce the chip frequency and voltage until the miner operates within its optimal range.

📢 Tips for reducing energy consumption

Cool-Mining.org has prepared a comprehensive guide to reducing electricity costs. Key recommendations:

BIOS settings, overclocking, and undervolting. Optimize voltage and frequencies for each algorithm. The right combination reduces power consumption by 20–30% with a slight loss in hashrate.
Cooling. Adequate cooling reduces fan power consumption and prevents throttling. Water cooling or immersion in dielectric fluid allows you to turn off the fans and reduce consumption by another 8–10%. Regularly clean the radiators and filters to ensure the equipment operates within its normal temperature range.
Alternative energy sources. Solar panels are becoming increasingly cheaper—the cost of solar panels has dropped by approximately 70% over the past ten years. Installing solar panels or small hydroelectric and wind turbines can significantly reduce electricity costs, and in some regions, even allow for the sale of excess energy.
Consumption monitoring. Use wattmeters, smart plugs, and specialized platforms (HiveOS, RaveOS, Awesome Miner, Braiins Insights) to see the actual consumption of each device. Analyze reports and quickly adjust settings if you detect an unjustified increase in consumption.

💰 Choosing a graphics card based on energy efficiency

Before purchasing equipment, it’s important to evaluate not only price and hashrate, but also energy efficiency. The main criteria for choosing a graphics card for mining are:

Hashrate. Computing speed affects income, but the hashrate-to-consumption ratio is what matters.
Power efficiency. The card should provide maximum hashrate per watt. Models from the Nvidia Turing (GTX 16xx) and AMD Polaris (RX 5xx) series are considered optimal budget solutions.
Memory size and type. Ethash requires a minimum of 6 GB of VRAM; 8 GB or more is preferred.
Reliability and cooling. 24/7 operation requires high-quality cooling.

The table below shows how budget graphics cards improve their power efficiency after undervolting:

Model	Power consumption (W) before undervolting	Efficiency (MH/W) up to	Efficiency after undervolting
GTX 1660 Super	~80	0.39	0.45–0.50
RX 580 8 GB	~130	0.23	~0.30
GTX 1060 6 GB	~90	0.24	0.30
RX 5500 XT 8 GB	~85	0.31	~0.36
GTX 1650 Super	~75	0.21	~0.26

Miner’s tip: start by reducing the voltage slightly and test for stability. A sharp reduction may cause freezes or a drop in hashrate. Always monitor the temperature.

👌 Profitability recommendations from Crazy-Mining.org

In their latest ranking, ” 10 Best Cryptocurrency Mining Software in 2025, ” the authors of Crazy-Mining.org offer tips for increasing profitability. They emphasize the following:

Use undervolting. Reducing voltage provides +10–20% net profit.
Use automation. Programs like CudoMiner, NiceHash, and Awesome Miner help optimize profiles for different algorithms.
Analyze statistics. Visual reports allow you to quickly understand whether your farm is operating profitably or unprofitably.
Optimize cooling. Every 10°C increase in the graphics card’s temperature halves its lifespan, so keep your rig cool.

These tips echo those from Cool-Mining.org and emphasize that high profitability is achieved through a comprehensive approach.

💳 Where to store mined cryptocurrency

After optimizing your mining, it’s important to ensure the security of your earned coins. Crypto-Wallets.org notes that choosing the right crypto wallet determines the ease of managing your digital assets and the security of your funds. It’s especially critical for beginners to avoid the following mistakes:

using exchanges as a wallet;
storing seed phrases on open media;
choosing unverified applications with low ratings;
ignoring backups.

Types of wallets:

Custodial (exchange) keys are easy to use, but the keys are stored by the service. They are only suitable for short-term storage.
Mobile – convenient for small amounts and supports many networks. Examples: Trust Wallet , Exodus .
Hardware – the most secure storage method (Ledger, Trezor, Keystone).
Browser-based Web3 wallets are needed for working with dApps and DeFi (MetaMask, Rabby).

Choose a wallet based on how frequently you plan to make transactions. For long-term storage of mined coins, it’s best to use hardware devices, while convenient mobile or Web3 wallets are better for everyday transactions.

✨ Conclusion

Undervolting is an effective and affordable way to reduce the power consumption of graphics cards and ASIC miners. Properly setting voltage and frequencies improves energy efficiency by 20–40% and increases net profit. Use specialized utilities (MSI Afterburner, EVGA Precision, HiveOS) and custom firmware for ASIC hardware, optimize cooling, and monitor temperatures.

Remember: energy efficiency not only saves money but also contributes to reducing the negative impact on the environment. Also, use secure crypto wallets to store your mined funds. Following these recommendations will help you maximize your mining profits while keeping your equipment in good working order.