Reddit user runs large AI model on $35 mining rig with 54GB VRAM
A bargain crypto mining rig with nine Nvidia GPUs successfully ran a 35-billion-parameter model locally for just $35.
Key points
- The rig cost $35 and contains nine Nvidia P106-100 GPUs totaling 54GB of VRAM.
- It successfully ran the Qwen3.6-35B-A3B model at over 30 tokens per second.
- Nvidia driver support for this Pascal hardware ends with branch 580.
A Reddit user acquired a discarded crypto mining rig for $35 and successfully executed a large local AI model on the hardware. According to Tom's Hardware, the buyer purchased the device from a Russian classifieds site after finding it in a damp garage. The transaction occurred without a pre-purchase test, as the seller refused to verify functionality before accepting the negotiated price of 3,000 rubles.
The nine-GPU system contained Nvidia P106-100 cards, providing a combined 54GB of video memory. The buyer reported that all components functioned on the first attempt despite the rusty condition of the equipment. This hardware was originally designed for cryptocurrency mining rather than artificial intelligence workloads. The low acquisition cost allowed the buyer to accept the risk of purchasing untested, second-hand industrial equipment.
Hardware Specifications and Performance
The rig features nine Pascal-generation GPUs, each equipped with 6GB of GDDR5 memory. These cards are similar to the GTX 1060 6GB but lack consumer display outputs. According to the source material, the system achieved over 30 tokens per second when running the Qwen3.6-35B-A3B model in Ollama. This model is a mixture-of-experts architecture with 35 billion total parameters, of which only 3 billion are activated during inference.
Performance is constrained by the system's weak Celeron processor and limited system memory. The motherboard uses PCIe 2.0 slots, which may bottleneck data transfer speeds between the CPU and GPUs. The buyer noted that while dense models might struggle, mixture-of-experts models that fit entirely into VRAM should perform adequately on this configuration.
Vendor Support Status
Nvidia has announced changes to software support for older GPU architectures. CUDA 13.0 removed offline compilation capabilities for GPUs with compute capability below 7.5, which includes the Pascal generation. According to Nvidia’s developer blog, driver branch 580 is the final version supporting these older GPUs. Security updates for this driver branch are scheduled to continue through October 2028, ensuring some level of maintenance for legacy hardware.
What should you do?
Users considering similar legacy hardware for AI workloads should verify driver compatibility before purchase. It is important to understand that performance will be limited by older PCIe standards and weak CPUs. Buyers should also assess the physical condition of used mining equipment, as moisture and dust can cause hardware failure.
What to do and how to stay safe: Nvidia
- Verify that your intended AI models fit within the available VRAM of your hardware.
- Check Nvidia’s driver support roadmap for your specific GPU architecture before purchasing.
- Inspect used mining rigs for physical damage, corrosion, or signs of moisture exposure.
- Test hardware functionality thoroughly before finalizing any purchase of unverified equipment.
General security guidance from the Threat Times newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.
Frequently asked questions
How much did the mining rig cost?
The rig cost $35, which is equivalent to 3,000 rubles at the time of purchase.
What model was run on the hardware?
The user ran the Qwen3.6-35B-A3B model, a mixture-of-experts AI model with 35 billion parameters.
Is this hardware still supported by Nvidia?
Nvidia states that driver branch 580 is the final support for these GPUs, with security updates through October 2028.
