Mary’s Take: Goldshell AE-BOX II vs. IceRiver ALEO AE0 – Expert Roundtable, March 2025
Hi, I’m Mary, your market strategist here at gettheminer.com. With new miners dropping this month, I pulled in Ann (our hardware guru) and Tim (our token specialist) to break down two profit champs: the Goldshell AE-BOX II and IceRiver ALEO AE0. Both are built for Aleo’s zkSNARK algorithm, and they’re neck-and-neck at $14.48 and $14.34 daily profits. Let’s dive into what we hashed out.
I’ll start with the numbers. The Goldshell AE-BOX II costs $1,350, pumps out 54 Mh/s, and uses 530 watts. The IceRiver ALEO AE0 runs $1,600, hits 50 Mh/s, and sips just 100 watts. From a market view, Goldshell’s lower price and higher hashrate give it a faster ROI—about 93 days versus IceRiver’s 111 at current rates. Aleo’s privacy hype is fueling demand for both, but volatility’s the wildcard here.
Ann jumped in with her hardware take: “Efficiency’s where these split. Goldshell’s 54 Mh/s is strong, but 530 watts means 9.81 J/Mh—power-hungry. IceRiver’s 50 Mh/s at 100 watts is a lean 2 J/Mh. If electricity’s steep—say, $0.20/kWh—IceRiver saves you $3-4 daily. But if power’s cheap, Goldshell’s output scales better for big setups. Noise matters too—530 watts means louder fans, so home miners might prefer IceRiver.”
Tim brought the token angle: “Aleo’s the star here—privacy coins are hot in 2025, and these rigs are zkSNARK-ready. Goldshell’s 54 Mh/s beats IceRiver’s 50, so you’re getting more rewards—$25 per Mh in cost efficiency versus $32. If Aleo’s difficulty spikes, that 4 Mh/s edge could shine. Compare this to old Bitmain ASICs—those couldn’t pivot like these can. IceRiver’s power savings are solid, but I’d pick Goldshell for quick gains.”
Back to me: regulatory risks loom—privacy coins might face crackdowns in places like the U.S., affecting viability. Goldshell’s cheaper upfront, but IceRiver’s efficiency could win if power costs climb. Profits are tight either way—$14.48 versus $14.34 leaves little margin if Aleo dips.
Ann added: “Setup’s key. Goldshell needs serious cooling—extra fans or liquid systems, maybe $100-200 more. IceRiver’s low wattage fits a garage easier. High-wattage rigs wear faster too—Goldshell might lose a year of life versus IceRiver.”
Tim wrapped up: “Supply’s tight—miners sold out fast last year, so act quick if Aleo moons. These could adapt to other zkSNARK tokens down the line, unlike Ethereum rigs post-merge. Goldshell for now, IceRiver for lean running.”
So, it’s power versus price. For small miners, IceRiver’s overhead wins. For a warehouse? Goldshell’s hashrate might tip it. What’s next—new models in Q2? These won’t reign forever.
What’s your take? Tried these miners? Share your thoughts below with fellow miners!
Disclaimer: We’re sharing our expert take—feel free to join the conversation! This is a community discussion; our team won’t be replying directly.