why not make DIY, upgradeable, ASIC mining rigs?

Question

being a miner myself, I see one of the big problems in the mining field. ASIC's are very unsustainable at making profit, and quickly turn into scrap as something better comes along. (even though they can be super profitable at first)

What this does is centralize the wealth creation into the very first and wealthiest people who come and to buy, and drains the profits quickly for anyone else trying to get it. After the profits are drained, the equiptment becomes junk.

GPU mining is great because its a lot more doable for the average person (at a cost level) serves multiple uses and different coins, and allows a person to custom build their system, which they can update and upgrade as they move along.

So, why not just sell the parts for making ASIC rigs, and let mining enthusiasts build their own? I bet it would be a lot cheaper, and a lot more people could get their hands on ASIC chips.

it would expand the mining further to more people. more decentralization.

So why is this not being done? Do you think this could be a good idea? What do you project would happen?

Answer 1

So, why not just sell the parts for making ASIC rigs, and let mining enthusiasts build their own?

ASICs are highly specialized hardware, advancements in ASIC technology involve new hardware architecture (eg smaller, faster transistors), so a modular design would not allow a DIY-er to just add a new part on to keep up with the current tech. I think it would also be incredibly difficult to create a miner that is modular without losing efficiency when compared to a non-modular ASIC.

GPU cards are like a ‘general purpose’ miner, so if one coin is no longer profitable to mine, there may be another coin with a different algorithm that a miner can switch to. With ASIC chips, there is just one algorithm that the chip is optimized to run. For example, you could not use a bitcoin ASIC to mine ethereum, even if the ASIC was a modular design. You would need to swap out the chipboard itself to achieve this goal, and the chipboard is the most expensive part of the device.

From a manufacturer’s standpoint, if the majority of the unit cost comes from the chip itself, then the most straightforward business plan is to just sell the complete unit. Having a modular product means a lot of extra logistical considerations, which means increased prices for the end customer.