Introduction: The Digital Gold Rush Since Bitcoin’s birth in 2009, the machines that secure blockchains have evolved from household PCs to warehouse-scale super-rigs. This article walks through every leap—CPU, GPU, FPGA, ASIC—and shows how to pick the right miner in 2025.1. The CPU Era (2009–2010): Mining on a LaptopSetting: Bitcoin’s first blocks were mined by Satoshi with an ordinary CPU.Reality: A 2009 MacBook could mine thousands of BTC—today worth hundreds of millions.Limit: Hash-rate so...
