Undervolting

Undervolting is the process of reducing the supply voltage of a computing component below its standard value while maintaining stable operation. In mining, this method is used to reduce power consumption and chip temperature.

Power consumption in computing circuits depends on voltage and frequency. Therefore, reducing voltage can significantly reduce power consumption, especially when combined with underclocking.

Undervolting and Stability

Excessively low voltage can cause unstable operation of computing components, resulting in hardware errors, reduced performance, or restarts.

After changing voltage, actual hashrate, temperature, power consumption, and operational stability should therefore be monitored over a sufficient period.

Economic Meaning

The goal of undervolting is not necessarily to achieve the lowest possible power consumption. In practice, the objective is to find an operating point where the reduction in power is justified by the corresponding reduction in hashrate and results in improved power efficiency.

The adjustment can also reduce the requirements for heat removal and lower the load on the cooling system.