Packaging:
- the unit arrived via DHL in Canada well-packed in a sturdy box with plenty of internal padding.
- what included in the box: Nothing except the SP20E miner.
- no documentation, no cables, no rubber feet, no power supply, no 'quick start' guide. No T-shirt. No mug.
Physical Characteristics:
- Dimensions: approx. 5"(W) x 6"(H) x 15"(L).
- Weight: approx. 11.2 lb.
- Material type: sturdy metal enclosure, secured by Philips screws. I did not attempt to take the unit apart.
- Connections: ethernet, 4x 6-pin PCIe power, serial, USB, SD. Only the ethernet and 4x PCIe will be needed during normal operation.
- Fans: 1 visible exhaust fan at the rear.
- airflow is from end to end; the only openings are on the 2 opposite ends. The intake end contains all of the connections.
First Impressions:
- this is a sturdy high quality product; well manufactured.
- very compact relative to its advertised hashrate of 1.7TH/s +/- 10%.
- very loud when mining.
Setup:
- some prior knowledge is required before setting the unit up; most target buyers will already be familiar with what is required in terms of connectivity and power requirements since that information is available on the SP20E web page prior to ordering.
- hardware setup is straightforward: plug in an ethernet cable, plug in 4x PCIe power cables from a suitable ATX power supply. I used an EVGA 1300 G2. Split power supplies can also be used if desired (e.g. 2x 650W or higher ATX PSU). I tried 2x EVGA 850W G2 as an alternative configuration which worked equally as well.
- software setup is straightforward and is done via the SP20E's web interface. Out of the box, the SP20E is set up for DHCP which means it will be assigned an IP address automatically by your network router. Unless you you have some knowledge of how to determine its IP address, you may have some trouble determining what address was assigned to it. I tried going to myminer.io (maps to http://start.spondoolies-tech.com/), but the unit did not appear there. I had to go to my router's DHCP client list to find out what IP address was assigned to the SP20E.
- once at the web interface, you enter your pool information and start mining. I increased the maximum voltage setting to 0.79V (up from the default of 0.75) to maximize hashrate for purposes of this review.
Operation:
- when mining, the unit is very loud. Much louder than a cluster of 4 Antminer S3's sitting beside it. I would not recommend running the SP20 near a living area at home. The web interface allows the fan speed to be adjusted, but I found setting it to 50% (down from the 80% default) did not reduce the noise significantly. Reducing the fan speed too much will impact hashrate. Noise is typically a non-issue in a datacenter environment.
- the unit appears to automatically adjust its operating parameters based on ambient and internal temperatures as well as constraints imposed by user-defined settings in its web interface. This allows tweaking hashrate, power consumption, and noise to help achieve an acceptable balance.
- power consumption when mining: 1283W at the wall (EVGA 1300 G2 Gold PSU) at 1662 GH/s. Stock settings except for maximum voltage which has been increased to 0.79V.
- stability: has been excellent since I had the unit. The unit did not require a reboot or power cycle during the review period due to hardware or firmware failure. Firmware 2.5.33.
- sustained hashrate: this unit managed to sustain approximately 1650 GH/s at an intake temperature of 15-20C; 1600 GH/s at 20C-25C, and 1550 GH/s at 27C. This is within the advertised specification of 1700GH/s +/-10%.
- efficiency: 1283W/1662GH/s = 0.77W per GH/s at the wall using an 80+ Gold PSU. Note that it is possible to improve this by changing miner settings (e.g. reducing the maximum voltage); this will decrease hashrate and power but will increase efficiency.
- web interface: the web interface is easy to use and functional. It contains a number of separate screens accessed by tabs. The main monitoring screen shows various operating parameters such as hashrate, temperatures, and active pools. Separate screens allow you to to set pools, operating parameters (fan speed, voltages, power limits, etc.), upgrade the firmware, and view diagnostic information.
Value:
- a single SP20E currently sells for $659USD. At the currently difficulty of 39.5B it earns approximately 0.021 BTC/day, or, $6.78USD/day. Note that the user must purchase/provide their own PSU(s) which will add to the initial capital outlay. Also note that, based on the average USA electricity cost of $0.11USD/kWh, it would cost $3.39USD/day to operate this device which is 50% of its earnings.
Final Words:
- the Spondoolies SP20E Jackson is a high-quality bitcoin miner whose performance can be optimized for speed or efficiency.
- simple to set up, stable operation at default settings.
- compact and energy efficient relative to current alternatives. Efficiency can be further improved by changing settings.
- the unit is very loud at default settings; may not be suitable for operation in typical family homes.
- an external power supply must be provided by the user.
Some photos:
Web interface main screen:
3/4 side view:
Connector end view. This is the air intake:
Closeup of the exhaust fan:
Another 3/4 view:
