6 weirdest devices people have used to mine Bitcoin and crypto
CoinTelegraph
by Felix NgJanuary 28, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Bitcoin mining has always been a realm of creativity and innovation, even as powerful ASIC miners dominate the space. From gaming consoles to retro devices, enthusiasts have pushed the boundaries of what can be used to mine cryptocurrency. This article explores some of the strangest methods and devices people have employed, from using PlayStation 4s in large-scale operations to repurposing Nintendo Game Boys for mining.
One notable example is the use of PlayStation consoles for mining. Ukraine’s Security Service reported a $260,000-a-month operation that utilized thousands of seized devices, including what appeared to be PlayStation 4s. Meanwhile, ASRock created a high-end mining rig using PlayStation 5 chips, highlighting how gaming hardware has been repurposed for crypto extraction. These examples show the lengths people go to exploit consumer-grade hardware for mining.
The use of smart devices in botnets for mining adds another layer of ingenuity—and danger. In 2017, researchers found a Mirai botnet variant designed to mine Bitcoin by infecting IoT devices like CCTV cameras. While such efforts were largely ineffective due to the computational demands of Bitcoin mining, the potential for coordinated botnet mining raises ethical and security concerns.
Even retro gaming devices have been drafted into the mining world. A YouTuber successfully mined Bitcoin using a Nintendo Game Boy, equipped with a Raspberry Pi Pico and custom software. This quirky experiment demonstrates the adaptability of older technology but also questions the practicality and environmental impact of such methods.
These unconventional mining efforts highlight the ingenuity of crypto enthusiasts while underscoring broader issues like energy consumption and device security. For readers interested in both the tech and crypto worlds, these stories offer a fascinating look at the intersection of innovation and cryptocurrency.
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Originally published on CoinTelegraph on 1/28/2026