NerdOCTAXE or the mythical beast “The Ocho”

Both the first and second mythical creatures are the result of innovation, inventiveness, and engineering expertise from Germany, courtesy of two very clever individuals. Without them, we would not have multi-ASIC home miners today. A big thank you goes to @Pmaxsd, who invented and designed the NerdQaxe and made all the plans for building it available as open source.

But we wouldn't be in Grimm's fairy tale forest if something so magical didn't give rise to a new magical object. We are talking about the NerdOCTAXE Gamma, better known in professional circles under the code name “The Ocho.” 

Also invented in Germany, true to the motto...  What's better than a NerdQaxe++? Right, two NerdQaxe++, but wait... 

It's just a circuit board that controls and powers a total of eight BM1370s, enabling a whopping 10 Th/s under standard settings for the first time. We owe it all to @Puall91. This clever person also made all the circuit diagrams available for everyone to build their own as open hardware.

Although the first mythical creature, the NerdQaxe++, has already grown up in its second generation with four BM1370 ASIC processors – and many enthusiasts have one at home. They cherish, nurture, and sometimes even kick it to get even more hash rate out of it. 

We rarely see anything from “The Ocho”... Some retailers and manufacturers have prematurely announced that they will soon be offering this beautiful piece of hardware. However, many have not done so or have not been able to – a few units are available here and there, but they are usually sold out immediately and often distributed under the counter. 

This reminds me of the 90s, when mixtapes were still distributed underground... only insiders had access to the coolest music.

So, you can find a few videos on YouTube, or general product descriptions from one or two well-known or lesser-known retailers. But actual, proper tests, separate from technical data and imaginary prices, are not available.

That's why I'm particularly pleased today to hold a piece of home mini history in my hands. Directly from the inventor and builder himself, @Puall91, warm greetings from Germany to Germany. Now we share it all over the world. 🙂

But that's not all: I also had the great fortune to work with PowerMining and design a enclosure for the NerdOCTAXE, specifically for the model I received from Puall91.

So let's start by testing the PowerMining unit, which is being mass-produced and offered for sale for the first time. We were already there when PowerMining first mass-produced the legendary NerdQaxe++ before it became cool.

In fact, I even received the latest board revision, version 2.2. In this revision, the hot VREGs were arranged horizontally. This has the immense advantage that these little beasts, which get extremely hot, can be cooled much better.

The first version grouped them together near the power connection, which often caused a complete thermal shock for the board.

But let's start at the beginning, there is a lot to discover and explain, as well as to show and analyze.

The NerdOCTAXE γ is based on the development of the NerdQaxe, which is operated with four ASIC processors as standard. With the NerdOCTAXE, which we will simply refer to as the Ocho from now on, 8 BM1370 ASIC processors are used. This processor series comes from Bitmain's well-known industrial miner, the S21+ series.

Most people are already familiar with this ASIC generation from the Bitaxe Gamma and the NerdQaxe++. Since these processors are specified by Bitmain with a standard frequency of 650 MHz, this results in a hash rate of about 10 Th/s when using 8 BM1370.

The amazing thing, as with the NerdQaxe++, is that thanks to its excellent design, The Ocho consumes only 150-180W of power (+/- 5%). This is particularly interesting because it is a very compact PCB with an astonishingly high hash rate that can be scaled perfectly at home.

You won't get lost in the Bitaxe forest anymore, we all know that little problem. Once you start with the Bitaxe, you keep buying more units. Sooner or later, you'll end up with a complete mess of cables and PSUs, which you can try to tidy up with housing concepts or the Mean Well PSU. But once you reach a certain number, it becomes extremely confusing, maintenance becomes difficult, updating the firmware becomes a test of patience, and the cooling options are also rather limited... But I digress again.

Incredible Power, Compact Form: Achieves a reliable hashrate of 9-10 Th/s at just ~150-180W from a standard 120V/240v outlet, perfect for miners looking for a high-efficiency setup without the bulks of S19/S21 Antminer .

Standalone Operation: Runs independently without needing a Raspberry Pi or PC, thanks to the Nerd*OS. Simplified, stable, and smooth operation for any user.

Smart Cooling and Control: Dual, high flow Thermalright AXP36 fans and fan-PWM control keep The Ocho running cool, while a 4-phase buck converter ensures high energy efficiency and performance. But that's not all: the housing offers the option of attaching a 120 mm rear fan, which is what PowerMining does here.

In addition, there are three 4-pin fan connectors on the PowerMining PCB. This naturally allows for much more flexible operation and fan configuration. But beware, the third connector does not have PMW, it always supplies 12V and is therefore ideal for operating and connecting an AiO.

User-Centric Design: And then, of course, there is the all-aluminum enclosure designed and constructed by PlebBase. Not just an eye-catcher—but a true piece of engineering, with features you won't find anywhere else. But more on that later.

Safety: The version offered by PowerMining goes one step further – and not just with the mandatory fuse, which is already the killer feature of the Nerd* series.

It also features PCBs in 2/2oz copper. This means significantly more robust conductor tracks than the regular 1/1oz model – more stability, more reserves, less “sewn on the edge.”

And yes: if you want to (and the cooling is up to it), you can already start thinking about overclocking. But: this article is strictly about the device as delivered. OC is a separate topic in itself.

The NerdOCTAXE from PowerMining was tested exactly as it arrived: no optimizations, no improvements, no tuning. I deliberately wanted to see the raw values of the overall package.

What I must emphasize right away: The item arrived extremely well packaged. The custom-cut foam secured the phenomenal stand, the device, and the PSU so neatly that transport damage was practically impossible.

However, as this is a limited first batch, the PSU supplied was still a little too weak. With default settings, it unfortunately only delivered 11.6V instead of 12.xV. The same applies to the coolers: The Thermalright x36 aluminum coolers are perfectly fine in principle, but seem a little too small for this powerhouse to me.

In both cases, however, PowerMining has assured me that improvements will be made soon: with a significantly more powerful PSU and X53 aluminum coolers.

As always with manual settings, I ran the fans at 100% so that the results would remain comparable with other multi-ASIC miners.

In addition to the default settings and clock speed, I also tried undervolting. However, this did not work on my device: the hashrate dropped noticeably. In the end, the only sensible option was to set the frequency manually to 495 MHz – this gives a good comparison between ECO mode and normal mode.

The PCB does get warm, but the 2/2oz copper assembly distributes the heat very well across the entire PCB. That's exactly the point: the heat doesn't get stuck in a hotspot, but is distributed evenly – and that's definitely a plus.

And then there's my personal highlight: the black, powder-coated aluminum stand—a PlebBase design that I put together in no time at all. It's exactly this kind of “think fast, execute cleanly” approach that I enjoy—and that's why I was all the more delighted to collaborate with PowerMining, because an idea immediately turned into something real.

In terms of appearance, the whole thing has been deliberately kept minimalistic – but that's exactly what ultimately made it a real design piece. Clean lines, a harmonious angle, no unnecessary gimmicks – and yet it still looks like it was made from a single mold. The pictures also show quite clearly how the design is not only attractive but, above all, functional: the stand creates a defined air channel at the front that directs the warm exhaust air cleanly to the sides. This ensures that the ASICs constantly receive fresh, cooler air instead of recycling their own waste heat over and over again.

It's precisely this small difference that often makes more of a difference in operation than you might think.

The 120mm fan isn't just “screwed on somewhere” either, but is neatly secured and guided across the plate – stable, tidy, and without any fiddling around. And because it would be PlebBase if it only stuck to the standard: the design is such that, with a little creativity, you can even mount the stand on the wall using 3D-printed adapters. This means: same base, different application – depending on whether you want it clean on the table or as a setup on the wall like a small mining exhibit.

And yes: appearance is not “incidental” here. The large, smooth surfaces are perfect if you're into laser engraving – or even a neat sticker bombing, without it looking like a craft box. The stand accepts both: purist clean or completely personalized.

The bottom line is that, for me, this thing is exactly the kind of item that is all too rare: a truly unique piece of design worldwide, because no other multi-ASIC home miner combines form and function so consistently. Not just a mount, not just decoration – but both at the same time. That's exactly how it should be.

Considering that the NerdOCTAXE is being mass-produced by a well-known manufacturer for the first time, it's a truly amazing piece of hardware. A 20x19cm board delivers an astonishing 9.8 Th/s, or 10 Th/s with a little fine-tuning. Packaged in an absolutely sturdy and cool enclosure. If someone had told me two years ago that we could build something like this from open hardware, I really wouldn't have believed them. It has never been so easy to secure and support the Bitcoin network with a truly relevant hash rate from home.

In my opinion, you should still seriously consider purchasing a MeanWell LRS-350-12. For the simple reason that this power supply allows you to regulate the voltage cleanly – and if you ever decide to overclock, you'll have a sufficiently dimensioned PSU that doesn't scrape along the limit.

The same applies to cooling: depending on your setup, a Thermalright x47 or x53 full copper cooler would definitely be the more recommendable choice here. There is currently no update for the well-known NQ-HELIX Shroud, which allows you to mount a 120mm fan directly on the coolers, but that's only a matter of time: an update from PlebBase will follow soon – in the usual manner, of course, including detailed tests.

As I said, the x36 coolers are adequate, no question. But personally, I find the fans a tad too loud. Of course, everyone's perception is different – some people don't care, others go crazy at the slightest high-frequency whirring. I tend to fall into the second category. I would much prefer Noctuas in combination with an NQ-HELIX. But that's not a “flaw” of the PowerMining setup, nor is it something that NerdOCTAXE is somehow to blame for – it's simply the nature of “out of the box” vs. “custom tuning.” And honestly, it would be boring if there was nothing left to optimize. :)

However, what I would really recommend to everyone is to stick heat sinks on the VREGs. This not only extends the service life of the NerdOCTAXE, but also ensures significantly quieter operation in practice – because less thermal stress usually means less “counter-regulation.” And yes: this will also noticeably reduce power consumption.

This is a point that many people underestimate: automation not only means higher quantities, but also, as a rule, more consistent quality – and at the same time, the price often drops because there is less manual tinkering and more reproducible processes behind it.

Add to that: excellent support, consistently high quality, manufactured in Europe, and worldwide shipping. So it's not “some guy in a dark basement,” but now a really well-known name in our small, manageable bubble.

You can order the NerdOCTAXE directly from PowerMining – and with the code “OCaxe,” you'll even get an extra 10% discount.

All in all, this is a very successful overall package. Sure, there are a few minor criticisms—but these are either things that PowerMining can easily fix in the next iterations, or points that can be significantly improved with a few classic pleb optimizations.

The NerdOCTAXE with its improved copper conductor tracks seems absolutely rock-solid – and this improvement alone ensures that there are no technical obstacles to overclocking. Of course, if you're overclocking, you have to deliver – that means better cooling and a clean, sufficiently dimensioned power supply. But that's nothing new.

More detailed tests on a real OC setup will follow soon – and I can already say that what I have in mind will not only be “a little faster,” but also really informative and, above all, forward-looking.