Guide | Solo Miners | 7 min read
Bitaxe Gamma vs. NerdQaxe++ Comparison 2026: Which Miner Should You Choose?
May 2026By Mario
In short: The Bitaxe Gamma and the NerdQaxe++ share the same BM1370 chip and the same open-source philosophy, but the Gamma consumes 18 watts at about 1.1 TH/s, while the NerdQaxe++ consumes 75 watts at 4.8 TH/s, at more than three times the price. Choose the Gamma as an entry-level or secondary miner, and the NerdQaxe++ if you want the maximum hashrate per device.
Bitaxe Gamma vs NerdQaxe++: which open-source bitcoin miner is right for you?
The comparison Bitaxe Gamma vs. NerdQaxe++ is one that every home miner makes at some point. Two open-source bitcoin miners, the same BM1370 chip, the same idea: solo mining from your living room. The Bitaxe Gamma uses 18 watts and reaches 1.1 TH/s. The NerdQaxe++ costs well over three times as much and uses 75 watts, but delivers 4.8 TH/s. Below I lay out the differences side by side.
Both miners are available at the BitcoinStuffStore. Both are open source. The big difference is in hashrate, power use and price.
Bitaxe Gamma vs NerdQaxe++: One philosophy, two categories
The Bitaxe Gamma is the brainchild of skot, one of the founding contributors of the Open Source Miners United (OSMU) Project. The NerdQaxe++ comes from the open-source Nerd series, with its own firmware.
What they have in common: both run on Bitmain's BM1370 chip, the same chip as in the professional Antminer S21 Pro. Both are open source and let you take part in the Bitcoin network from home. You don't need a subscription and anyone can check the firmware.
Specifications side by side
| Spec | Bitaxe Gamma | NerdQaxe++ |
|---|---|---|
| ASIC chip | 1x BM1370 | 4x BM1370 |
| Hashrate | ~1.1 TH/s | ~4.8 TH/s |
| Power consumption | ~18W | ~75W |
| Efficiency | ~15 J/TH | ~16 J/TH |
| Display | 0.91″ OLED | 2.4″ TFT color display |
| Ventilator | Gelid PWM 40x40mm | Noctua silent fan |
| Noise level | Audible, acceptable | Quiet |
| Firmware | AxeOS (ESPMiner) | NerdAxeOS |
| Price | See product page | See product page |
| Current per month* | ~€4 | ~€16 |
Bitaxe Gamma vs Nerdaxe Gamma: what is the difference?
Searching for “bitaxe vs nerdaxe”? Then you usually mean the Nerdaxe Gamma, not the NerdQaxe++. The Nerdaxe Gamma is the smallest miner in BitMaker's Nerd series. It has the same BM1370 chip as the Bitaxe Gamma, reaches the same 1.1 TH/s or so and draws the same power: about 18 watts. In computing power they are equal. The difference lies in the display, the firmware and the price.
| Spec | Bitaxe Gamma | Nerdaxe Gamma |
|---|---|---|
| ASIC chip | 1x BM1370 | 1x BM1370 |
| Hashrate | ~1.1 TH/s | ~1.1 TH/s |
| Power consumption | ~18W | ~18W |
| Display | 0.91″ OLED | 1.9″ colour LCD (T-Display S3) |
| Firmware | AxeOS (ESPMiner) | NerdOS (based on ESP-Miner) |
| Power supply | 5V 6A, included | 5V 6A, included |
| Price | See product page | See product page |
Choose the Bitaxe Gamma if you want the lowest entry price, with the largest community and the most guides. Choose the Nerdaxe Gamma if you want a larger colour display that shows your hashrate, temperature and best difficulty at a glance. Want more than 1.1 TH/s? Then you end up with the NerdQaxe++, which we compare with the Bitaxe Gamma below.
Bitaxe Gamma: small and affordable
The Bitaxe Gamma It's the fifth-generation Bitaxe. With one BM1370 chip, it achieves 1.1 TH/s at 18 watts. That's 15 J/TH, comparable to professional miners.
The Gelid PWM fan (40x40x20mm) cools the device. You can hear it, so don't put it next to your bed. The 0.91-inch OLED screen shows hashrate, temperature and connection status in real time.
Configure the miner in minutes via a simple web interface with AxeOS. Connect it to Parasite Space, Noderunners of Satoshi Radio for solo mining, or on a pool of your choice.
Expect about €4 per month in electricity. That is a daily ticket in the bitcoin lottery.
NerdQaxe++: four chips and 4.8 TH/s
The NerdQaxe++ is another category. Four BM1370 chips in one housing jointly deliver 4.8 TH/s, more than four times as much as the Bitaxe Gamma.
For that you pay well over three times the price of the Gamma, plus about €16 a month in electricity. Despite the higher power draw it is quiet: it is cooled with a Noctua fan.
The 2.4-inch TFT color display shows real-time mining statistics. The NerdAxeOS firmware is open source. With solo mining the chance of finding a block is about 4.4 times higher than with the Gamma.
Price and monthly electricity costs compared
The NerdQaxe++ costs well over three times as much as the Bitaxe Gamma. You won't earn that price difference back through extra hashrate. So the question is how much hashrate fits your situation.
- Bitaxe Gamma: 18W x 24h x 30 days = 12.96 kWh x €0.30 = approx. €4 per month
- NerdQaxe++: 75W x 24h x 30 days = 54 kWh x €0.30 = approx. €16 per month
For whom is which miner?
Budget, power use and goal decide the choice.
Choose the Bitaxe Gamma if:
- You are just starting with Bitcoin mining and want to learn how it works.
- Your budget is limited
- You want to add minimal power consumption to your household
- A quiet device is not a problem
- You want to support the OSMU open-source project
Choose the NerdQaxe++ as:
- You want 4.8 TH/s at home
- Do you have experience with home mining
- You want a quiet device, even at a higher hashrate
- You want to see a larger display and more statistics
- I want to get the maximum open-source hashrate at home
Installation and Configuration: How to Set Up Your Miner
These are the steps for the Bitaxe Gamma:
- Set up wifi through the miner's own network
- Open your browser and go to the miner's local IP address (you can find this through your router).
- Enter the pool address, for example Parasite Space for solo mining
- Enter your Bitcoin address as your username
- Save it. The miner immediately starts to hate.
The NerdQaxe++ works the same way via NerdAxeOS. Allow about a quarter of an hour for the setup.
Unsure about the choice or the configuration? Send me a message via WhatsApp or email, or read more on the About usPage.
Solo pool mining: what works for you?
Both miners support solo and pool mining via the Stratum protocol. When solo mining, you connect your miner via Parasite Space, Noderunners of Satoshi Radio, and you have your own chance at a full block of 3.125 BTC. The odds are small, but the payout is all yours completely.
In pool mining, you combine hashrate with others and receive proportional payouts. Popular pools compatible with both miners: Ocean on Braiins.
For the NerdQaxe++ pool mining is more interesting because of the higher hashrate. The Bitaxe Gamma is mostly used as a solo miner.
