Discussions on cryptocurrency mining frequently focus on Bitcoin and Ethereum as prime examples. However, exploring the mining prospects for other cryptocurrencies, including Litecoin and Dogecoin, could be advantageous. Based on data from CoinMarketCap, Litecoin and Dogecoin rank within the top 20 cryptocurrencies globally, underscoring their potential as lucrative choices for those interested in pursuing mining activities.
Different cryptocurrencies adopt different mining algorithms. For example, unlike Bitcoin’s SHA-256 algorithm, Litecoin and Dogecoin use the Scrypt algorithm. While there are miners that can mine various cryptos as they utilize different algorithms all in a single device, the majority of miners are still specialized. Most miners can only cater to certain cryptos, which are usually based on the same algorithm. The Bitmain Antminer L3+ is one such example. It is an ASIC miner designed for Scrypt-based cryptos.
The Antminer L3+ is the successor to the widely successful L3. It was released in June 2017, with several important, much-needed features and a few improvements. Like the L3, it uses the BM1485 chips and operates similarly to its predecessor. In terms of improvements, the Antminer L3+ has a hashrate of 504 Mh/s and consumes 800W of power, while the older L3 has only half the hashrate and consumes half the power. The Antminer L3+ was one of the most advanced Scrypt-based cryptos miners during launch. However, it is noteworthy that newer and more advanced generations of ASIC miners have been released.
For more information about the specifications and hashrates of the Antminer L3+, keep reading.
Antminer L3+ Specifications:
| Hashrate: | 504 Mh/s. A variation of +/- 5% is expected. |
| Power consumption: | 800W +10% (at the wall, with Bitmain’s APW3 PSU, 93% efficiency, 25°C ambient temperature) |
| Power efficiency: | 1.6J/Mh/s +10% (at the wall, with Bitmain’s APW3 PSU, 93% efficiency, 25°C ambient temperature) |
| DC voltage input: | 11.60 ~ 13.00V |
| Chip type: | BM1485 ASIC chip |
| Chip quantity per unit: | 288 chips on four hashing boards, 72 chips on one hashing board |
| Dimensions: | 352mm (l) x 130mm (w) x 187.5mm (h) |
| Operating temperature: | 0°C – 40°C |
| Network connection: | Ethernet |
Antminer L3+ mining hashrate for each algorithm:
| Litecoin (LTC) Zergpool Scrypt Mining Hashrate: | 1.40 Gh/s |
| LTC MiningPoolHub Mining Hashrate: | 3.81 Gh/s |
| LTC BSOD Mining Hashrate: | 865.26 Mh/s |
| LTC Ukrpool Mining Hashrate: | 4.14 Th/s |
| LTC Viabtc Mining Hashrate: | 105.29 Th/s |
| Dogecoin (DOGE) BSOD Mining Hashrate: | 5.84 Gh/s |
| Verge-Scrypt (XVG) Block Masters Scrypt Mining Hashrate: | 25.03 Mh/s |
| XVG Zergpool Scrypt Mining Hashrate: | 4.76 Gh/s |
| Einsteinium (EMC2) Zergpool Scrypt Mining Hashrate: | 8.11 Gh/s |
| DGB-Scrypt (DGB) Zergpool Scrypt Mining Hashrate: | 30.08 Gh/s |
| DGB zpool Scrypt Mining Hashrate: | 2.16 Mh/s |
| Florin (FLO) Zergpool Scrypt Mining Hashrate: | 3.47 Gh/s |
The quality of a miner is determined by its power efficiency. This is also usually used as one of the major comparison criteria. The power efficiency refers to the miner’s hashrate against its power consumption. An efficient miner should give you a higher hashrate yet consume less power. In this case, the Antminer L3+ has a power efficiency of 1.6J/Mh/s.
As a comparison, the L3+’s competitor, another Scrypt miner called the Innosilicon A4 Dominator, has a hashrate of 280 Mh/s for 1050W. The Innosilicon A4 Dominator consumes 30% more power while only giving almost half the hashrate, offering a power efficiency of 3.75J/Mh/s. In other words, it is pretty power inefficient compared to the L3+.
Regarding the size and weight, the Antminer L3+ weighs around 4.4kg and has dimensions of about 35cm x 13cm x 19cm. It is slightly heavier and larger than the previous 2.5kg L3, which is sized at 23cm x 13.5cm x 16cm. A weakness of this miner is that its noise level can reach 75 dB to 95 dB, which is comparable to that of a loud fan.
However, when taking into account its power efficiency, size, weight, and price, it is still a good ASIC miner for those mining at home and focusing on Scrypt-based cryptos. Again, you should note that the Antminer L3+ is a 5-year-old miner, which means that it is not the best miner today. Newer and more advanced generations of ASIC miners have been released since 2017, such as the Antminer L3++, Antminer L7, and the Innosilicon A6+ LTC Master. Make sure you consider all these factors before buying any Scrypt ASIC miner.
For more information about the Antminer L3+, do check out the video below.
Antminer L3+ ASIC Miner Review: