Can You Still Mine Crypto with a GTX 1080 in 2024? A Complete Guide to Profitability & Setup

For years, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 was a legendary workhorse for gamers and a formidable soldier in the crypto mining armies. But in the ever-evolving landscape of blockchain and Proof-of-Work, the burning question remains: Can you mine crypto with a GTX 1080 today? The answer is nuanced—yes, but not in the way you might remember from the 2017 boom. This guide dives deep into the current reality, helping you decide if firing up your 1080 is a nostalgic experiment or a marginally profitable venture.

The GTX 1080 Mining Specs: A Legacy of Power

Released in 2016, the GTX 1080, based on the Pascal architecture, boasts 8GB of GDDR5X memory. For mining, its key strength was a strong memory bandwidth. However, its lack of GDDR6 memory and newer architectural optimizations means it's less efficient than modern GPUs like the RTX 30 or 40 series. Its typical hashrate for popular algorithms is a starting point for our analysis:

• Ethash (for ETC): ~25-30 MH/s
• KawPow (for RVN): ~12-15 MH/s
• Autolykos2 (for ERGO): ~70-80 MH/s

Profitability Analysis in the Post-Merge Era

The "Ethereum Merge" was a seismic event, shifting Ethereum to Proof-of-Stake and rendering GPU mining for ETH obsolete. This dramatically changed the game for all GPUs, including the GTX 1080. Profitability now hinges on mining alternative coins (altcoins) and converting them to Bitcoin or fiat.

Using a mining profitability calculator is non-negotiable. Input your GTX 1080's hashrate, your local electricity cost (e.g., $0.15 per kWh), and power draw (~180W). As of 2024, you'll likely find daily earnings are modest, often between $0.10 to $0.30 before electricity. The key question becomes: does your revenue exceed your power cost? For many, especially in regions with high electricity prices, the margin is extremely thin or negative.

Best Coins to Mine with a GTX 1080 in 2024

Given its specs, here are the most viable candidates:

1. Ethereum Classic (ETC): The most direct successor to ETH mining, still using the Ethash algorithm. It's the most popular choice for 8GB GPUs.
2. Ravencoin (RVN): Uses the KawPow algorithm, which is core-intensive. The 1080 handles it decently and it's a dedicated GPU-mined coin.
3. Ergo (ERG): Designed to be ASIC-resistant and energy-efficient, its Autolykos2 algorithm is well-suited for older GPUs.
4. Flux (FLUX): Operates on a decentralized computational network, offering multiple mining options through its ZelHash algorithm.

How to Set Up Your GTX 1080 for Mining

If you decide to proceed, here’s a streamlined setup:

1. Choose a Mining Pool: Solo mining is ineffective. Join a pool like 2Miners, Flypool, or HeroMiners for your chosen coin.
2. Select Mining Software: For ETC/RVN, T-Rex Miner or GMiner are excellent, efficient options. For Ergo, NBMiner is a top choice.
3. Optimize Your Settings: Use MSI Afterburner to undervolt your GPU. Aim to reduce core clock slightly, increase memory clock moderately, and set a power limit (~70-80%). This lowers energy consumption and heat, improving efficiency and hardware longevity.
4. Monitor and Maintain: Use the pool's dashboard to track earnings. Ensure your rig has excellent cooling and a stable internet connection.

The Verdict: Is It Worth It?

For a casual user with a single GTX 1080 already in their PC, mining can be an educational hobby that might offset a tiny fraction of your system's cost. However, as a dedicated investment or business venture, purchasing a GTX 1080 for mining in 2024 is not advisable due to its low efficiency and ROI timeline.

Ultimately, can you mine crypto with a 1080? Technically, yes. Profitably, it's a borderline case that depends entirely on your electricity costs and dedication to optimizing the hardware. It stands as a testament to a bygone mining era, now better suited for learning the ropes or supporting a decentralized network you believe in, rather than generating significant income.