Name the algorithm and the unit
Hashrate describes hash attempts per second. Common prefixes are mega, giga, and tera: MH/s, GH/s, and TH/s. One TH/s equals 1,000 GH/s or 1,000,000 MH/s when the underlying hashing operation is the same.
A numerical comparison across different mining algorithms is not a performance ranking. A SHA-256 terahash and a hash on another algorithm represent different work. Local dashboards and pool estimates can also use different averaging windows, so apparently conflicting measurements may describe different periods.
Step-by-step
- Copy the complete specification. Record algorithm, hashrate value, unit, operating mode, and the observation time together.
- Convert within one algorithm. Move every value to a single unit before adding miners or computing efficiency. Keep the original figures for traceability.
- Align the window. Compare stable measurements over the same duration. Use pool-side accepted-work estimates alongside device readings rather than replacing one with the other.
Worked example
Illustrative example. Two hypothetical SHA-256 workers report 100 TH/s and 50,000 GH/s. Converting the second to 50 TH/s gives a combined nominal 150 TH/s, before uptime or rejected work.
The combined number is a capacity estimate, not a promise that the pool will credit that exact rate continuously. Record a second figure for observed accepted work.
Common mistakes
- Adding MH/s to TH/s without converting.
- Ranking unrelated algorithms by the largest displayed number.
- Comparing a one-minute device reading with a full-day pool average.
Questions and answers
Is hashrate the same as electricity efficiency?
No. Efficiency also needs power consumption. Within one algorithm, divide measured watts by hashrate in a stated unit; lower watts per unit of hashrate uses less power for the same rate.
Apply this to your setup
Create a comparison row with algorithm, original unit, converted TH/s or GH/s, measurement source, and averaging window. Do not put unrelated algorithms in the same total. If a pool estimate and local reading disagree, align the intervals first; a unit conversion cannot reconcile different measurement periods.
Sources and next steps
Use the hardware comparison tool and learn to calculate efficiency.
How this guide was prepared: AI-generated drafting with the linked technical references and illustrative calculations. It does not report first-hand equipment tests or a named specialist review.