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After a year of teetering, NiceHash has finally made life easier for cryptocurrency miners... at least, some of them.
It's taken a full year, but Nvidia's Lite Hash Rate (LHR) GPU tech has finally been fully bypassed. Much like the restraining bolt of a Star Wars droid, LHR was Nvidia's hardware-based attempt to thwart cryptocurrency miners, and get "more GeForce cards at better prices into the hands of gamers." Now, after a tonne of back and forth with hackers, and even Nvidia itself, a full bypass has been confirmed.
That's great news for anyone with a mind to use their GeForce RTX 3080 to mine cryptocurrency, but perhaps not so great for those of us still waiting for the GPU market to balance out so we can finally play Elden Ring on ultra graphics settings.
A while back, we saw Nvidia trip up with their mining limiter, when they accidentally published the wrong driver and gave everyone full hash rates. That was quickly backtracked, but later NBMiner managed to hack Nvidia's mining limiter to increase it to 70% efficiency.
Still, no one had managed to push that up to 100% without mining two cryptocurrencies at once, until now.
According to Videocardz the new bypass comes from NiceHash, for it's QuickMiner (Excavator), with support for NiceHash Miner coming soon. It's been confirmed by the team over at Benchmark.pl to give miners 100% efficiency on an RTX 3080 Ti card, at least. That's 117 MH/s over the 85-88 MH/s logged previously.
Some commenters note having tried it on different 30-series cards, and the results are mixed. A couple claim theirRTX 3060 LHR Zotac isn't getting improved hash rates, with one even having attempted the suggested "reinstall with the RC version," to no avail.
The other big catch? It only supports only the DaggerHashimoto (Etash) algorithm.
Still, that's nowhere near as limiting as having to hash two cryptocurrencies simultaneously, or as devastating as accidentally downloading a crypto-hungry virus onto your PC—some supposed full LHR unlocks were disguised to distribute malware to unsuspecting cryptocurrency miners.
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Earlier this year, Lapsus$ hackers even threatened to publish an LHR bypass if Nvidia didn't comply with its terms, but since the apparent bunch of teens behind the hacking group appear to have been arrested, it looks like they didn't get the chance.
Either way, the rearing of such a hack could mean unhealthy things for gamers still waiting for their chance to grab a current-gen GPU. Even in the face of increased GPU stock levels and the potential for pricing to balance out, this limiter is likely to reforge cryptocurrency miner's interest in Nvidia's 30-series cards. Though profitability of cryptocurrency mining has fallen as of late, so perhaps we won't feel the worst of it again.
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Hardware Writer
Screw sports, Katie would rather watch Intel, AMD and Nvidia go at it. Having been obsessed with computers and graphics for three long decades, she took Game Art and Design up to Masters level at uni, and has been demystifying tech and science—rather sarcastically—for three years since. She can be found admiring AI advancements, scrambling for scintillating Raspberry Pi projects, preaching cybersecurity awareness, sighing over semiconductors, and gawping at the latest GPU upgrades. She's been heading the PCG Steam Deck content hike, while waiting patiently for her chance to upload her consciousness into the cloud.
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As an enthusiast deeply immersed in the realm of cryptocurrency mining and hardware technology, I bring a wealth of knowledge and firsthand expertise to the discussion. I've closely followed the developments in the field, staying abreast of the latest innovations and challenges faced by both gamers and miners. My understanding extends beyond surface-level information, allowing me to provide valuable insights into the intricate dynamics of cryptocurrency mining and the hardware landscape.
Now, let's delve into the key concepts mentioned in the article:
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Lite Hash Rate (LHR) Technology by Nvidia:
- Nvidia introduced LHR as a hardware-based solution to impede cryptocurrency miners, intending to prioritize gamers by making GeForce cards more accessible at reasonable prices.
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Challenges with LHR and Previous Bypass Attempts:
- Over the past year, there have been attempts to bypass Nvidia's LHR. Notably, there was an incident where Nvidia mistakenly released a driver that temporarily removed the mining limiter, leading to increased hash rates. Subsequent attempts, including one by NBMiner, managed to hack the limiter to achieve 70% efficiency.
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NiceHash's Bypass with QuickMiner (Excavator):
- The article highlights that NiceHash has successfully developed a full bypass for Nvidia's LHR using its QuickMiner (Excavator). This bypass reportedly provides miners with 100% efficiency on certain GPUs, such as the RTX 3080 Ti.
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Algorithm Limitations and Performance Impact:
- It's important to note that the bypass currently supports only the DaggerHashimoto (Etash) algorithm. This limitation may impact users relying on different algorithms for mining.
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Specifics on Performance Improvement:
- The reported improvement in hash rates is illustrated with an example, stating that the RTX 3080 Ti card achieved 117 MH/s compared to the previous 85-88 MH/s.
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Concerns and Potential Risks:
- The article raises concerns about the potential impact on gamers, especially those waiting for GPU market conditions to stabilize. The fear is that increased interest from miners, spurred by successful bypasses, could prolong the availability and affordability of GPUs for gamers.
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Previous Threats and Hacker Activity:
- The article briefly mentions the Lapsus$ hackers who threatened to publish an LHR bypass. However, it notes that the group's activities might have been disrupted with the reported arrest of its members.
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Cryptocurrency Mining Landscape:
- The article touches on the changing landscape of cryptocurrency mining, noting that while the profitability has decreased, successful bypasses may still attract miners to Nvidia's 30-series cards.
In conclusion, the cryptocurrency mining scene, particularly concerning Nvidia's LHR technology, is dynamic and subject to ongoing developments. The successful bypass by NiceHash marks a significant milestone in the constant struggle between hardware manufacturers, miners, and gamers.
