Review of ASICminer Zeon 180K for mining Zcash (ZEC)

The announcement and appearance of an ASIC from the Asicminer company called Zeon significantly stirred up the entire mining community. Many analysts, even before the release of the model, stated that Zeon 180k is the final touch in “killing” Zcash not only for mining on video cards, but also for many ASICs. Including those that are considered the newest. Moreover, this model has already been dubbed a “monster” or “beast”, with the help of which the Asicminer company has once again declared itself to the whole world. What is Asicminer Zeon 180k and what caused such a powerful information explosion? Let's get to the bottom of this.

Technical characteristics of ASICminer Zeon 180K

Initially, details about the ASIC, which was supposed to be called “ASICminer Zeon 160k,” surfaced online. This was semi-insider information, which quickly spread across all thematic resources.

However, when confirmed details and a real preview of the device from the Chinese company ASICminer appeared, everything turned out to be even more interesting. The model changed its name to Zeon or Zeon 180k, which is dictated by its power - 180,000 sol/s. This is not just limitless, but absolutely unprecedented power among all existing devices at the moment. The general characteristics of this “monster” look like this:

• Power – 180 ksol/s.
• Energy consumption – 2200W.
• Noise emission – 45-47 db.
• Branded liquid cooling system.
• Weight – 27 kg.

Let's start with power. The latest competitor and the most powerful ASIC at the end of August, Innosilicon A9 ZMaster, produces 50 ksol/s with a modest power consumption of 620W, but its main disadvantage is the price. The device costs $9,599, which is not comparable to the new Zeon 180k. The not yet released Antminer Z9, whose deliveries are also scheduled for September, can be ignored after the appearance of Zeon. Its power of 40 ksol/s will simply be trampled upon after the device is released from ASICminer.

It is worth briefly considering the issue of energy costs. Despite the high consumption of 2200W, the device cannot be called very “gluttonous”. With such unprecedented power, corresponding power consumption is required, therefore in this matter (taking into account the addition and calculated estimates) the ASIC from ASICminer is on a par with the Innosilicon A9 ZMaster and is significantly ahead of the Bitmain Antminer Z9.

In addition to unprecedented power, Zeon has another unprecedented solution, which will certainly become the standard for top ASICs in the future - a liquid cooling system. The Zeon 180k is equipped with a SVO, which, according to ASICminer, is designed for 50,000 hours of operation. This is an excellent solution that balances the enormous power of the device by keeping it relatively cool. The installation of the SVO also affected another important parameter – noise emission. With such power, this figure is only 47 db, which makes the ASIC not only the most powerful, but also the quietest, especially compared to 75-90 db of competitors using the Equihash algorithm.

general review

The new device from ASICminer is focused on working with the Equihash algorithm. This means that you can use it to mine coins such as Zcash, Zclassic, Bitcoin Interest, HUSH, ZenCash. These currencies are very popular because they have a fairly high value, and the difficulty of mining them is currently low and allows mining even with the help of a GPU.

A new era in the mining of these coins is associated with the emergence of ASICs focused on working with the Equihash algorithm. But the stated characteristics of ASICminer Zeon significantly exceed anything that competitors can offer. Here are the main parameters of the new product:

• Productivity – 180 ksol/s. This figure exceeds the closest existing analogue (Innosilcon A9) by 3.6 times. And a comparison with the top card from NVidia GTX 1080 Ti 11GB shows 200 times greater efficiency!
• Power consumption – 2.2 kW.
• The noise during operation is about 47 dB, which is quite a bit for such power.
• The weight of the device is 27 kg.
• Dimensions – 50 cm x 500 cm x 29 cm.

The device features a liquid cooling system, which is the know-how of ASICminer. It was this technology that made it possible to ensure uninterrupted operation of heavy-duty equipment for 50 thousand hours, while the noise level is quite suitable for installing this unit even in a residential area.

Technical characteristics of ASICminer Pro Zeon 380k

If the appearance of an ASIC that produces 180,000 soles on Equihash was received with unprecedented enthusiasm, then the announcement of the professional Pro Zeon installation simply shocked the global mining community. Naturally, this solution was created specifically for large companies, and not for private users who are limited to much smaller amounts, but one thing is clear - ASICminer decided to go all-in. What is the Pro Zeon 380k? The manufacturer offers a ready-made installation of five devices, each of which has the following characteristics:

• Power – 380 ksol/s.
• Energy consumption – 4400W.
• Noise emission – 45-47 db.
• Branded liquid cooling system.
• The weight of one unit is 57 kg.

Moreover, the system is designed in such a way that radiators are installed outside the room (or in another room). This solution greatly simplifies the so-called “air management” and allows heat to be removed outside the room. Overall, the Pro Zeon is 1.9 million soles per second, which consumes only 22,000W. Such luxury costs $199,999, although for large companies Pro Zeon will look more attractive and more profitable than a “regular” ASIC with 180 ksol. ASICminer also promises that all new ASICs are delivered in “plug and play” mode, that is, immediately ready for use.

Closest competitors

To assess the prospects, let’s review the closest competitors for ASICminer Zeon. These are:

• Innosilicon A9 ZMaster – productivity 50 ksol/s, profitability – 58.27 USD per day.
• Bitmain Antminer Z9 – performance 40.7 ksol/s, profitability – 45.88 USD per day.
• ASICminer Equihash 40K - productivity 40 ksol/s, profitability - 45.07 USD per day.

It can be seen that the profitability and performance of the new device from ASICminer is 3-4 times greater. However, the cost of the new product is so high that only the wealthiest miners can afford to purchase it.

Profit and payback Zeon 180k

Now let's touch on the most important topic of profit and payback of the device. If we consider the ASIC’s income “roughly”, that is, at the moment (at the current price and complexity of the network) using the Equihash algorithm, you can squeeze out about $210-215 per day + -10% from the device, taking into account exchange rate fluctuations. The closest competitor using the same algorithm, Innosilicon A9 ZMaster, gives $64. The not yet released Antminer Z9 is exactly $50, taking into account its power. From this we can draw the following conclusions:

• Those who buy an A9 after September will buy an ASIC that will pay for itself for years.
• People who have already pre-ordered the Antminer Z9 will receive, as they say in miner slang, an “expensive heater.”
• Only batch 1 clients will have a good chance of payback and profit from Zeon 180k.

The situation with the A9 ZMaster is quite clear and it has already been repeated in the field of ASIC mining more than once. With an excessively fast and high increase in network complexity, the profitability of the device will be reduced by at least 4 times. As a result, those who did not manage to recoup the ASIC from Innosilicon by at least 66% will stretch this period for many months (or even years, given its initially high price and potentially very low income after September).

Those who pre-ordered the Bitmain Antminer Z9 were doubly unlucky. They initially receive what miners call a “stillborn” device. The promised daily income will disappear before our eyes every day, because the shipment of Zeons is also scheduled for September. As a result, Bitmain will have to make some price concessions so as not to undermine customer trust, otherwise the mining industry will face another major scandal.

In general, the concept of payback has long been of an abstract nature, taking into account changes in factors that influence this indicator. A simple example with Antminer Z9. Just a month ago, customers who pre-ordered were counting on one term, although in fact by October they will see a completely different picture. Under current conditions, a profit of $200-215 per day looks incredibly attractive, but you need to understand that the more devices start working on the same algorithm, the more the network complexity indicator will increase. Within a week, the owners of the first Zeon will see a decrease in profitability (if there is no next cryptocurrency pump), which is an obvious response to the increase in complexity.

Profitability and payback of ASICminer Zeon 180K

As of August 29, 2022, the device produces $187 per day including electricity, which is about $5,604 per month.

Theoretically, Zeon 180K owners will be able to pay for themselves in just 4 months, but in practice everything is much more complicated. As soon as the first shipment of these incredibly powerful miners begins, the difficulty of Zcash mining will increase significantly, which will actually affect the payback period. Unfortunately, the more ASICs start working on Equihash, the faster the complexity of the network of cryptocurrencies running on this algorithm will increase.

Taking into account the medium term, the increase in complexity and the relative stability of the Zcash price, the Zeon 180K will pay for itself in about 6-7 months.

Prospects for Zeon 180K and the “death” of Zcash

The general prospects of ASIC should be considered in conjunction with the Equihash algorithm. This algorithm is already considered one of the most oversaturated (the latest top devices are aimed specifically at it). The entry of simply gigantic devices into the market, according to analysts, will simply kill the production of Zcash and other “coins” using this algorithm, especially given the fact that the creators of ZEC decided to abandon the so-called “ASIC resistance.”

If we take into account the marketing calculation on the ASICminer website, then one Zeon is equivalent in power to two hundred NVidia GTX 1080 Ti. At the same time, 200 video cards at ~$1000 will cost 10 times more than one Zeon. This leads to a simple conclusion, which has already become an axiom - GPU mining on Equihash will be completely “killed” after September and video card owners will have to look for other algorithms.

Further, with the appearance on the market of Zeon 180k and especially Pro Zeon, which will probably be actively purchased by large companies, the prospects for good earnings on Equihash will only remain with ASICs from ASICmining. The Bitmain and Innosilicon brands will have to fight back in the only possible way - by reducing the price, which will be adjusted to the new complexity of the network and the daily profit of the A9 and Z9 models.

Payback of ASICminer Zeon

Naturally, such high parameters inevitably raise questions about the cost of this miracle of computing technology. The cost of the new item, listed on the manufacturer’s website, is 19,900 USD. This means that the question of what is the payback of ASICminer Zeon begs itself.

The performance declared for this new product allows us to hope for a daily income of 209 USD per day when mining Zcash (at the current rate and complexity of mining). With such income, full payback will be achieved in 95 days. However, energy costs are not taken into account in this calculation, so in real conditions, even with a constant mining rate and complexity, payback is unlikely to be achieved earlier than in six months.

Zeon 180K Specifications and Features

Delivery of the Zion 180k is scheduled for September 2022, this is what this giant gives out:

Features of Zeon 180k

Own water cooling system