RTX 3060 Ti FHR vs LHR similarities and differences for mining

[Tech Tweaker]

Well, I've had a few RTX 3060 Ti's now. I felt like putting some of my thoughts down, hopefully this post is helpful for someone.

All these stats for Ethash (ETH).

FHR RTX 3060 Ti (-500 Core, +900 Mem Clock, 60% Power Target, 55% Fan Speed) Samsung Memory ~58.5MH/s (crashes at any Mem Clock above +1100 or so, with no real performance to be gained from doing so) This card tends to run hotter, and basically always draws more power than the other two FHR Samsung cards, while also having a lower hash rate (even if in a system by itself). 52-57°C typically with 124-127W draw displayed

FHR RTX 3060 Ti (-500 Core, +900 Mem Clock, 60% Power Target, 55% Fan Speed) Samsung Memory ~59MH/s (can go to +1400 Mem Clock, but doesn't gain much performance and the efficiency drops) 48-55°C typically with 119-124W draw displayed

FHR Asus RTX 3060 Ti (-500 Core, +900 Mem Clock, 60% Power Target, 55% Fan Speed) Samsung Memory ~59MH/s (can go to +1400 Mem Clock, but doesn't gain much performance and the efficiency drops) 48-55°C typically with 119-124W draw displayed

FHR Asus RTX 3060 Ti (-500 Core, +900 Mem Clock, 60% Power Target, 55% Fan Speed) Samsung Memory ~59MH/s (can go to +1400 Mem Clock, but doesn't gain much performance and the efficiency drops) 48-55°C typically with 119-124W draw displayed

The two cards with Samsung Memory were actually like clones of each other, although they were actually from different brands. At the same settings, they performed basically identically all the time.

LHR RTX 3060 Ti (-500 Core, +900 Mem Clock, 70% Power Target, 55% Fan Speed) Hynix Memory ~58-58.25MH/s (or 54.8-55MH/s at 65% Power Target) 512.77 DCH Driver used

Interestingly, for FHR cards with Hynix memory it was required to lower the clock rate to increase performance (thereby forcing the memory to run at tighter timings, which increased performance). With this LHR card with Hynix memory though, it behaves exactly the opposite and lowering the memory clock continuously lowers the hash rate on ETH and it was only once I started raising the memory clock that the performance started going up. So, evidently with cards from the LHR series/lines Hynix made some change which modifies how their memory is effected by adding or taking away from Memory Clockspeed.

I had actually ordered what was claimed to be an FHR card, but what I received was an LHR card. Figured I may as well see what it can do since I have it and I'd never tested an LHR card for any sort of mining. I'd actually been intentionally avoiding them, as a sort of rebellion to NVIDIA's locking them down to artificially limit what a customer can do with the product. As in my mind once you've bought the hardware you should be able to do whatever you want with it, as long as it doesn't break some law, but that's a bit of a tangent.

I'd heard that these LHR cards required more power to unlock the same performance, and that definitely seems to ring true, I'm at ~140W on this one, whereas the FHR cards I've tested were all around 119-125W per card.

 

[Tech Tweaker]

Just noticed I don't seem to be able to edit my own post, as there's no button or link to click to do so.

I was going to do an edit to add in some additional info and edit an error or two I just noticed.

 

[Blaylock]

I picked up an ASUS RTX 3060ti with Hynix memory from my local Microcenter when it finally hit MSRP and couldn't be happier. I would highly recommend running the T-Rex miner (0.26.1+) as it is a full hash rate unlocker. I'm getting 62MH/s @ 126W (software) 52°C. My settings...

Core 1410 - Mem 3500 - Fan 90%

My temps would be even better but I have it in an enclosed ITX case, Hyte Revolt 3 as this is my PortableVR Gaming rig also.

 

[EarthDog]

@Tech Tweaker - Give editing another try...

 

[Tech Tweaker]

@Tech Tweaker - Give editing another try...

I still don't see an edit button, either on the desktop version of the site or on the mobile app.

 

[EarthDog]

.....how about now @Tech Tweaker ?

 

[Tech Tweaker]

.....how about now @Tech Tweaker ?

Okay, it was working, then it stopped again.

Made one minor edit, then came back a few days later noticed I had neglected to correct a couple of other mistakes and now I see that edit button has disappeared again.

 

[EarthDog]

I believe it lasts 30 days for your 'group'. So its behaving normally.

I don't imagine we'll see people editing posts like this much past 30 days.

 

[Tech Tweaker]

Well, I've had a few RTX 3060 Ti's now. I felt like putting some of my thoughts down, hopefully this post is helpful for someone.

All these stats for Ethash (ETH).

FHR RTX 3060 Ti (-500 Core, +900 Mem Clock, 60% Power Target, 55% Fan Speed) Samsung Memory ~58.5MH/s (crashes at any Mem Clock above +1100 or so, with no real performance to be gained from doing so) This card tends to run hotter, and basically always draws more power than the other three FHR Samsung cards, while also having a lower hash rate (even if in a system by itself). 52-57°C typically with 122-125W draw displayed

FHR RTX 3060 Ti (-500 Core, +900 Mem Clock, 60% Power Target, 55% Fan Speed) Samsung Memory ~59MH/s (can go to +1400 Mem Clock, but doesn't gain much performance and the efficiency drops) 48-55°C typically with 119-124W draw displayed (or 60-60.5MH/s with +1100 Mem Clock, 62% Power Target, temps unchanged, typically 122-126W draw displayed)

FHR Asus RTX 3060 Ti (-500 Core, +900 Mem Clock, 60% Power Target, 55% Fan Speed) Samsung Memory ~59MH/s (can go to +1400 Mem Clock, but doesn't gain much performance and the efficiency drops) 48-55°C typically with 119-124W draw displayed (or 60-60.5MH/s with +1100 Mem Clock, 62% Power Target, temps unchanged, typically 122-126W draw displayed)

FHR Asus RTX 3060 Ti (-500 Core, +900 Mem Clock, 60% Power Target, 55% Fan Speed) Samsung Memory ~59MH/s (can go to +1400 Mem Clock, but doesn't gain much performance and the efficiency drops) 48-55°C typically with 119-124W draw displayed (or 60-60.5MH/s with +1100 Mem Clock, 62% Power Target, temps unchanged, typically 122-126W draw displayed)

Three of the cards with Samsung Memory were actually like clones of each other, although they were actually from different brands. At the same settings, they performed basically identically all the time.

LHR RTX 3060 Ti (-500 Core, +900 Mem Clock, 70% Power Target, 55% Fan Speed) Hynix Memory ~58-58.25MH/s (or 54.8-55MH/s at 65% Power Target) 512.77 DCH Driver used

Interestingly, for FHR cards with Hynix memory it was required to lower the clock rate to increase performance (thereby forcing the memory to run at tighter timings, which increased performance). With this LHR card with Hynix memory though, it behaves exactly the opposite and lowering the memory clock continuously lowers the hash rate on ETH and it was only once I started raising the memory clock that the performance started going up. So, evidently with cards from the LHR series/lines Hynix made some change which modifies how their memory is effected by adding or taking away from Memory Clockspeed.

I had actually ordered what was claimed to be an FHR card, but what I received was an LHR card. Figured I may as well see what it can do since I have it and I'd never tested an LHR card for any sort of mining. I'd actually been intentionally avoiding them, as a sort of rebellion to NVIDIA's locking them down to artificially limit what a customer can do with the product. As in my mind once you've bought the hardware you should be able to do whatever you want with it, as long as it doesn't break some law, but that's a bit of a tangent.

I'd heard that these LHR cards required more power to unlock the same performance, and that definitely seems to ring true, I'm at ~140W on this one, whereas the FHR cards I've tested were all around 119-125W per card.


Corrected.

Also, recently took apart the hotter running RTX 3060 Ti. Paste was completely dried out, which explains the higher temps. First time I've had it apart since I've owned it. It was like the cooler was glued to the core. I wouldn't generally expect that much breakdown of a paste in the year and-a-half or so that I've owned it, so the previous owner might have mined on it as well and possibly at much higher temps and/or power settings than I'm using.

Also, thermal pads are basically shot. Have a consistency something like playdough. Not particularly sticky like most good thermal pads are when they're in good shape, more dried out and they kind of peeled apart with most of the pad sticking to the cooler/heatsink when I took it apart with a thin layer of basically all pads remaining stuck to the VRAM chips. Naturally, I don't have 2.0mm pads on hand, just some low quality 1mm pads that I bought probably 6+ years ago for some project I was working on at the time (might have been replacing pads on a motherboards VRM heatsink or something). Replaced the stock paste with Thermalgrizzly Hydronaut, will see how that goes, I usually run some Prolimatech PK-2 on GPU's but thought I'd try out the Hydronaut as I've never tried it before.

Looked at a few stores lately and it seems most either stock 1.5mm pads, 2.5mm pads or 3mm pads, basically none seem to stock a higher quality 2mm pad which would replace the stock pads on my card. I know 1.5mm would be too thin and likely wouldn't transfer any heat, and 2.5mm would be too thick and might cause the card to overheat if it caused a gap at the GPU core. Was looking at 20W/mk at some place called Kritical Pads, which didn't have any in 2mm thickness, found another at Newegg for 12W/mk for 2mm thick pad sheet.

Plus ordered some 4mm thick pad sheet from ModMyMods, only 5W/mk.

I have several cards I'll likely need to repad, as they've never been repadded since I've owned them.

I guess now I wait to see what pads arrive first and when.

 

[Blaylock]

@Tech Tweaker - Have you tried the Lock Core Clock option for your LHR 3060ti? I'm using T-Rex Miner in Linux but I believe there are others like NBMiner and they have options for Windows as well. At any rate, the Lock Core Clock option will reduce your power draw considerably (~140W to ~126W Software) which in turn reduces temperatures and improves efficiency. Efficiency is obviously the main goal during Bear markets like we are in now.

For 2.0 mm thermal pads, I use GELID GP-Extreme purchased from Amazon. These are 12W/mk and the sheet is 80 mm x 40 mm so probably large enough to do a full card. At 12W/mk they are far better than stock though not the highest rating we have seen.