From the specs I can see, it will cost $2223 for AT's "Viper", which produces 5mhs. The value to the buyer is 2.25 khs per dollar
Right now, if you shop smart, you can buy 4 5870's, Motherboard, PSU, CPU, ram, a few risers and other components for under $700 and produce 1.6mhs. The value is 2.28 khs per dollar.
There definitely are many factors which add value to the ASICs, including power savings, lower barrier to entry, and the fact that they may depreciate in price more so than the GPU's (adding to their value per khs). I guess even a small advantage is still an advantage, but I'm failing to see how these ASICs greatly effect the viability of GPU scrypt mining, or would even be significantly preferable (if at all) to traditional GPU mining.
Right now, if you shop smart, you can buy 4 5870's, Motherboard, PSU, CPU, ram, a few risers and other components for under $700 and produce 1.6mhs. The value is 2.28 khs per dollar.
There definitely are many factors which add value to the ASICs, including power savings, lower barrier to entry, and the fact that they may depreciate in price more so than the GPU's (adding to their value per khs). I guess even a small advantage is still an advantage, but I'm failing to see how these ASICs greatly effect the viability of GPU scrypt mining, or would even be significantly preferable (if at all) to traditional GPU mining.
I would avoid/ignore everything to do with scrypt "ASICS" because a lot of them are scams and have yet to provide any proof of their existence. Fact of the matter is this: scrypt needs lots of fast RAM and fast RAM is expensive, so even if they could make ASICS, it's unlikely they could offer more than a Radeon card. Think about it logically, Radeon are experts in the field and know how to make fast RAM for the lowest amount of money, it's their business so they need to know. Anyone who does make an ASIC won't be able to make one notably better than a 7990, and even if it is slightly better, it can only be used for mining and nothing else, unlike a graphics card.
