Malairte is a CPU and GPU mineable coin, which means you do not need a specialised mining machine to take part. Any reasonably modern gaming GPU can contribute hash to the network, but some cards make far more sense than others once you account for power, heat, and what the card cost you up front.
What actually matters on the spec sheet
For Malairte, the three numbers worth circling are VRAM capacity, memory bandwidth, and board power. Memory bandwidth tends to track hashrate more closely than raw shader count on memory-heavy workloads, which is why a card like the RTX 3060 12GB punches above its tier compared to GPUs with faster cores but narrower memory buses.
VRAM
8GB is the sensible floor for headroom. 6GB cards can still mine, but you will feel pinched as the network and your software stack evolve.
Memory bandwidth
GDDR6 and GDDR6X cards generally outperform older GDDR5 generations on memory-bound work. A wider bus (192-bit or 256-bit) usually beats a narrow, fast bus on this style of workload.
Power draw
Look at the card under a mining load, not the marketing TBP. A GPU pulling 220W to deliver the same hash as another card pulling 140W is going to lose to it on electricity alone over a year.
Mid-range cards worth looking at
- NVIDIA RTX 3060 12GB and RTX 3060 Ti
- NVIDIA RTX 3070 (efficient when undervolted)
- AMD RX 6700 XT and RX 6800
- Older RTX 2070 and RTX 2080 cards from the used market
What to skip for a mining build
Top-tier flagships like the RTX 4090 will mine, but the cost per hash rarely justifies them compared to two mid-range cards. At the other end, entry-level GPUs with 4GB of VRAM and tiny memory buses are not worth the PCIe slot.
Buying used, sensibly
The post-Ethereum used GPU market is full of cards that were run hot for years. Ask for HWiNFO screenshots, check fan condition in photos, and budget for a repaste. A used RTX 3060 at half retail is one of the better entry points into Malairte mining today.