Founded in 2017, Octominer has made a name for itself as an expert in designing and manufacturing specialized hardware for cryptocurrency mining. Its reputation has been bolstered by its GPU mining rigs, especially the Octominer X8 Ultra and X12 Ultra, which have become popular picks within the cryptocurrency circle. Nevertheless, the debate continues over which of these two mining rigs offers the best performance.
For more information about the specifications of the Octominer X8 Ultra and X12 Ultra, as well as a comparison of the two mining rig setups, keep reading.
Octominer X8 Ultra Specification
Operating System: HIVE OS Pre Integrated
Processor: Intel G1840 CPU, 2.8Ghz Dual Core (Possible to upgrade to 4 core i7)
Hard drive: 30GB SSD (expand up to 3x SATA DRIVE)
Power supply: 2400W HP Certified (Dual 1200W Hot Swap Server Power Supplies)
Memory: 4GB DDR3 RAM (32GB MAX)
Weight: 16KG
Dimensions: 70x40x17.8CM
SPACING: 65.00mm GPU To Gpu
COMPATIBLE WITH: ALL Triple Slot Width gpus ( as NVIDIA RTX A5000 )
COMPATIBLE WITH: RTX 3090
OCTOMINER CHASSIS WITH 4 HIGH POWER 120x38MM COOLING FANS (HIGH AIRFLOW, PWM SPEED CONTROL)
OCTOMINER HARDWARE WATCHDOG & SMART FAN CONTROLLER (automatic fan speed control, automatic system reboot, status LED’s, OLED display with system info)
BOSCH ENVIRONMENTAL SENSOR (Air pressure, temperature and humidity readings on both inlet and temperature for exhaust air)
Octominer X12 Ultra Specifications
Operating System: HIVE OS Pre Installed
Processor: Intel G3900 CPU, 2.8Ghz Dual Core (Possible to upgrade to 4 core i7 with extra cost)
Hard drive: 8GB DDR3 RAM (32GB MAX)
Power supply: 2250W (3x 750W Hot Swap Server Power Supplies. 110v & 220v compatible)
Memory: 8GB DDR3 RAM (32GB MAX)
Weight: 27KG
Dimensions: 90.5×17.5x40CM
SPACING: 60.96mm GPU To GPU
COMPATIBLE WITH: ALL Triple Slot Width GPUs
COMPATIBLE WITH: RTX 3090
OCTOMINER CHASSIS WITH 5 HIGH POWER 140x38MM COOLING FANS (HIGH AIRFLOW, LOW NOISE, PWM SPEED CONTROL)
OCTOMINER HARDWARE WATCHDOG & SMART FAN CONTROLLER (automatic fan speed control, automatic system reboot, status LED’s, OLED display with system info)
BOSCH ENVIRONMENTAL SENSOR (Air pressure, temperature and humidity readings on both inlet and temperature for exhaust air)
Pros & Cons of the Octominer X8 Ultra and X12 Ultra
From the specifications of the Octominer X8 Ultra and X12 Ultra, you can infer that the two mining rig setups are quite similar, except for a few features which will be discussed below:
First, the X8 Ultras can hold a maximum of eight GPUs while the X12 Ultras can hold a total of twelve. If you are the type to get picky about using similar card models from the same brands and want completely filling the rig with GPUs, it would be better to get the X8 Ultras. The reason for this is that it would be easier to attain eight graphic cards instead twelve for the X12 Ultras. Moreover, managing eight GPUs is easier than handling twelve cards. It is easier to troubleshoot a mining rig with a smaller number of GPUs in case of any issues.
Second, the X8 Ultras have larger space between GPUs compared to X12 Ultras. The X8 Ultras provides a 65.00 mm GPU to GPU spacing while the X12 Ultra offers only a 60.96 mm GPU to GPU spacing. The limited spacing on the X12 Ultra may result in GPUs being placed very close to each other, thereby providing very little breathing room for cooling. The additional 5 mm offered by the X8 Ultras means that there will be a little more air flowing between each GPU, allowing the fans on the GPUs to work in a relatively less restricted condition and keep the GPUs cooler.
However, you do not need to put all twelve GPUs into a X12 Ultra. Instead, you may opt for a lower number of GPUs, especially if you want to use cards that require higher power like RTX 3080s or 3090s. Suppose you have six RTX 3080 GPUs in a X12 Ultra. These are power hungry cards, which will generate high amounts of heat if all twelve are installed into the rig. By using only six cards, the spacing in between each GPU would be larger. As a result, the six RTX 3080 GPUs can remain relatively cooler.
Another difference between the Octominer X8 Ultra and X12 Ultra is the weight. The X8 Ultra weighs 16 kg while the X12 Ultra weighs 27 kg, which is almost double that of the smaller case. Hence, a partially filled X12 Ultra can still be heavier than a completely filled X8 Ultras. If you are looking to move your mining rigs around or want a portable mining rig, you may opt for the relatively more lightweight X8 Ultras.
The Octominer X8 Ultra and X12 Ultra also have different fan size configurations. The X12 Ultras have 140 mm fans while the X8 Ultra has the smaller 120 mm fans. A smaller 120 mm fan running at the same speed as a 140 mm fan will push less amounts of air across the system, thereby resulting in potentially higher temperatures. For a 120 mm fan to match the same air flow as a 140 mm fan, the smaller fan will need to run at a higher speed, which can generate a lot more noise. Hence, if the noise from the fans is a nuisance, you should opt for the X12 Ultra which utilizes larger fans.
Both the Octominer X8 Ultra and X12 Ultra remain superb choices for miners looking to build mining rigs. The X8 Ultra is still a perfect medium-sized server case for those that think six-GPU rigs are too small and that twelve-GPU rigs are overkill. If you think you can only get your hands on eight cards or less, want a larger spacing between the GPUs, and are looking for a not-so-heavy server case, the Octominer X8 Ultra is for you. On the other hand, if you are looking for a server case to hold over eight GPUs, you may opt for the X12 Ultras.
You should also take note that the older Octominer X8 Ultra is has been replaced by the newer Octominer X8 Ultra PLUS. Hence, you would need to look around the internet to get the non-PLUS variants.
Octominer X8 Ultra vs X12 Ultra :