FPGA

An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is an integrated circuit that can be programmed after manufacturing. Unlike fixed-function chips, an FPGA's logic can be reconfigured using hardware description languages (HDL) like VHDL or Verilog.

FPGA in mining

FPGAs occupy a middle ground in the mining hardware spectrum:

Hardware	Flexibility	Efficiency	Cost
CPU	High	Very low	Low
GPU	Medium	Low–Medium	Medium
FPGA	Medium	Medium–High	High
ASIC	None	Very high	Very high

FPGAs are more energy-efficient than GPUs for specific mining algorithms, but require technical expertise to configure (writing or deploying bitstreams).

When FPGAs are used

• Algorithm experimentation — before ASICs dominate a new coin
• ASIC-resistant coins — some algorithms were designed to favor FPGAs over ASICs
• Low-volume mining — when an algorithm doesn't justify full ASIC development

FPGA vs. ASIC

Once an ASIC is developed for an algorithm, it typically outperforms FPGAs significantly in both hashrate and efficiency. FPGAs can be reprogrammed for different algorithms; ASICs cannot.

See also

• ASIC
• GPU
• Hashrate
• Mining hardware