What are ASICs and How are They Disrupting the Market of Other Hardware?

| Updated on February 28, 2024

Application-specific integrated circuit abbreviated as ASCI is hardware including specialized chipset and inbuilt circuit for phenomenal performance. Unlike other computing hardware, ASIC is specific task-centric hardware. 

Other hardware like CPU and GPU are meant to perform a few generic tasks, but ASIC has a few sole purposes. The fundamental purpose of ASIC hardware is cryptocurrency mining, but it is also being used in Aerospace engineering. 

GPU and ASIC are digital rendering devices, but ASIC cannot perform any explicit task except mining. All the more, each ASIC hardware is meant to mine different cryptocurrencies. So, for example, an ASIC constructed on a hashing algorithm of Dogecoin, that is Script, then it can only mint Dogecoin and other cryptocurrencies constructed on a similar hashing algorithm. 

ASIC giants and manufacturers are smaller than the GPU and CPU manufacturers as setting up an ASIC manufacturing plant is exceedingly expensive. However, due to these processing hardware’s mining specialty, ASICs have much potential for the mining purpose than other competing mining hardware. In addition, the chipset present inside standard application-specific integrated circuits has made the process very efficient. Here is everything you should know about this mining hardware and how they are disrupting the market of other mining hardware .

Key Takeaways

People refer to ASICs as the GPU guzzler as, since day one, they have been dominating the GPU marketplace in terms of mining. However, the fundamental reason is that ASIC is only structured for this guesswork game. 

On the contrary, GPUs can perform any digital rendering task, such as video editing and gaming. In short, if the concept of mining gets diminished, ASICs will have zero market utility, and thus their value will decline.  

Developers can develop ASIC hardware to perform a specific task only, and manufacturers are designing this hardware for mining only. 

ASIC is proven to be potential for this guesswork game. 

Acknowledging the Market of ASICs

Rather than being general task-centric computing hardware, ASICs are purpose-driven computing machines. In other words, ASICs are not constructed to execute any other operations except mining. At first, the developer of this cryptocurrency and its payments intended these coins to be minted on a standard home computer. 

Later, people introduced the use of GPUs in cryptocurrency mining. But after the development of ASICs, this hardware quickly dominated other existing computing hardware. After acquiring popularity in early 2013, ASICs never looked back. Regardless of a massive rush in the cryptocurrency hardware industry, ASICs have gracefully managed to stand their ground still. 

Development of an ASIC

The concept of bitcoin mining is necessitated by an explicit consensus mechanism named POW. Mining is analogous to any standard guesswork game where players can guess an exact number lower than defined alphanumeric code. 

With more hardware introduced in the mining industry, this business has gradually become challenging. If you have funds to set up an ASIC miner rig of multiple ASIC hardware, diving into the bitcoin mining industry is only worth a shot. A gigantic mining plant highlighted the existence of ASICs. The first-ever manufacturer of ASIC hardware is Bitmain, and this company also owns two subsidiary mining pools. 

Benefits of Using ASIC

Undoubtedly, GPU and CPUs have more general task rendering devices and hardware, but the core function of an ASIC is not to mint new digital currencies. This mining hardware merely concentrates on making higher revenue, and for this purpose, they need high-end mining devices. Each cryptocurrency constructs its network on a hashing algorithm. Like cryptocurrencies, ASICs are also constructed on the hashing algorithm, and they can only mint digital coins operating on that. 

For example, an ASIC machine is constructed on a script hashing algorithm; then, it cannot mine cryptocurrencies strutted on other hashing algorithms. It makes ASIC more specific and centric. If you buy an ASIC to mine ether, you cannot mint BTC on it. But, in the case of 

GPUs can mint any digital token you want no matter what hashing algorithm it is structured. 





Adam Green

With more than 3 years of experience as a software and tech writer on GetAssist.net Adam has been writing articles, blogs, and featured stories centered around the software and tech niche since he graduated from Virginia Tech University. He writes savvy articles, tutorials, and reviews that explain difficult concepts to readers of all levels. His expertise includes software development, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies. Through simple and engaging writing, Adam constantly delivers useful insights that enable readers to feel at ease in the ever-changing technological scene.

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