Canaan Creative, the world's second-largest manufacturer of cryptocurrency mining hardware, unveiled a range of new products at a mining summit in Chengdu, including the flagship Avalonminer A911 mining rig, a planned 5nm chip, and several home-appliance-oriented mining devices.
Avalonminer A911: 7nm Performance
According to Chen Feng, sales director for Canaan's Avalonminer line, the new A911 rig is powered by the company's recently unveiled 7nm Bitcoin mining chip. It delivers a maximum hash rate of 18 TH/s with a power consumption of 1440W, achieving an efficiency of 80 W/TH. This places the A911 as a competitive mid-range option for miners seeking a balance between performance and energy usage.
5nm Chip Development on the Horizon
Just two months after showcasing its 7nm chip, Canaan revealed its intention to develop a 5nm mining chip. The move aligns with foundry partner TSMC's roadmap: in June 2018, TSMC announced it would begin trial production of its 5nm FinFET process in the second half of 2019, targeting mass production by 2020. TSMC has committed approximately $25 billion to the technology. The 5nm node will employ extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, reducing multi-patterning complexity and enabling smaller die areas than its 7nm predecessor.
Mining Goes Home: Heater and Portable Miner
Canaan also showcased two novel products: the cloud-mining heater and the Avalon Box portable mining farm. The heater performs cloud-based cryptocurrency mining while providing warmth, representing a push to integrate mining into everyday household appliances. The Avalon Box is a compact, mobile mining unit designed for convenience. Additionally, the company announced plans to develop an artificial intelligence chip called Kendryte.
These announcements follow Canaan's August 2018 launch of the world's first Bitcoin-mining television set, the Avalonminer Inside, which houses a mining rig within a TV shell. Collectively, these products aim to lower the barrier to entry for retail users and mainstream mining participation.
Industry Implications
Canaan's product roadmap reflects the ongoing arms race in mining chip fabrication, with 5nm representing the next frontier. However, actual commercialization depends on TSMC's production ramp and yields. The home-appliance approach, while innovative, raises questions about energy efficiency and actual demand. Nonetheless, Canaan is positioning itself at the intersection of mining hardware, AI, and consumer electronics.