Bitdeer’s New Mining Machines: Progress Report and Addressing Skepticism
Author: Joseph
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Recently, Bitdeer announced the technical specifications and shared real-world testing footage of their latest SEALMINER A2 series on their official Twitter. The SEAL02 chip and SEALMINER A2, as second-generation products, were released on schedule with all specifications meeting targeted benchmarks. As of this writing, Bitdeer’s official site shows that 1.38 million units of SEALMINER are currently reserved.
Ambitious Product Iteration Goals
Earlier this year in March, Bitdeer launched the SEALMINER A1 model, followed by the A2 series in October. According to Bitdeer, the air-cooled SEALMINER A2 and the water-cooled A2 Hyd both use the company’s SEAL02 chip. The SEALMINER A2 is ideal for well-ventilated mining farms, while the A2 Hyd, with better cooling and noise control, suits high-density or noise-sensitive environments.
Technical details of the A2 series were showcased in a real-unit test video posted on Bitdeer’s Twitter (https://x.com/i/status/1851169774354526666). The SEALMINER A2’s theoretical efficiency stands at 16.5 J/TH, with a hash rate of 226 TH/s; the SEALMINER A2 Hyd offers the same efficiency but a hash rate of 446 TH/s. These specifications compare favorably with leading brands and are top-tier. Interestingly, the video showed the A2 models performing above these theoretical values, at 230.79 TH/s and 483.44 TH/s, respectively.
Both models use a 4nm SEAL02 chip designed to optimize “energy efficiency and cost reduction.” The chip’s original power consumption target was 14 J/TH, eventually reaching 13.5 J/TH. Bitdeer’s roadmap provides an outline for their ambitious development:
1. SEAL01: Released in Q1 2024 with 18.1 J/TH efficiency, implemented in the SEALMINER A1, and with mass-production efficiency expected at 20–23 J/TH.
2. SEAL02: Released in Q3 2024 with 14 J/TH efficiency, utilized in the SEALMINER A2 series, and expected mass-production power consumption between 15–16.5 J/TH in Q4 2024.
3. SEAL03: Planned for release in Q4 2024 with a target efficiency of 10 J/TH, to be integrated into the SEALMINER A3, with mass production slated for Q2 2025 at 11–12 J/TH.
4. SEAL04: The fourth-generation chip set for Q2 2025, with a 5 J/TH efficiency goal and mass production expected in Q4 2025 at 5.5–6 J/TH.
Bitdeer aims to iterate through four generations of SEAL chips over five quarters, aggressively reducing energy consumption from 18.1 J/TH to 5 J/TH. Since the March release of SEAL01, Bitdeer’s rapid product advancement places SEAL02’s performance among top industry standards in just six months.
Achieving these ambitious goals presents challenges, especially in terms of production capacity, market competition, and user feedback. Despite impressive iteration speeds, the true test lies in whether subsequent models can meet market demands and sustain miner satisfaction.
Breaking Industry Norms with a Transparent Product Roadmap
Bitdeer faced skepticism from the start, with some critics suggesting its rapid development goals were unrealistic and more about “inflating expectations.” Such skepticism is understandable in the industry.
For potential customers, however, the transparency of Bitdeer’s roadmap offers several benefits. It enables informed decision-making, allowing customers to evaluate the current model’s cost-effectiveness or wait for future releases based on expected upgrades. This roadmap is especially valuable in mining, a cost-sensitive market, by helping users plan equipment replacements and budget allocations to manage costs more effectively. Transparency around product cycles also mitigates information asymmetry, providing clearer expectations rather than leaving customers guessing about future releases.
On the other hand, transparency presents unique challenges for Bitdeer. Bitdeer is currently the only mining company openly sharing its R&D progress, potentially benefiting competitors as well. Publishing future product plans could also lead miners to hold off on purchases, impacting sales of the current generation. Additionally, such transparency places high expectations on Bitdeer’s R&D team. Despite these challenges, Bitdeer has evidently decided that transparency outweighs the risks.
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