FILE PHOTO - Representation of the Bitcoin virtual currency standing on the PC motherboard is seen in this illustration picture
Cryptocurrency mining isn't for everyone, and it might seem daunting even if you are interested.
You might think you need an extreme know-how of computers to do any kind of crypto mining, that it couldn't possibly be done by the average person.
Turns out, it's absurdly easy.
You just need computer parts that are powerful enough to make mining profitable, and a handy piece of software called Nicehash. You literally press a green button on Nicehash to start mining.
I've been experimenting with crypto mining on Nicehash myself, and it's been a fun little project. I'm not raking in a huge amount of cash, as my mining rig is small enough that it's more like looking for change on a sidewalk. Bigger mining organizations have warehouses full of powerful computer parts that can generate a ton of cryptocurrencies.
And at the end of the day, I'd only really suggest it if you already have a gaming PC with an appropriately powerful graphics card - the key component for mining. And you need to make sure your electricity costs aren't too high, as mining can suck up a ton of energy.
Check out how to get started in mining:Whether or not you know anything about mining, you need to have some powerful hardware.
You could mine with a basic computer that only has a processor, like an Intel or AMD processor. But graphics cards that PC gamers use to power their games are much better suited for the job.
For the best results, you'll need desktop PC and Nvidia or AMD graphics cards. Laptops, even the gaming variety, may not be very well suited for mining.
For Nvidia cards, you're better off with the current GTX 1000 series of graphics cards, like the GTX 1060 (6GB model) or above.
As for AMD cards, the best models include the RX470, RX480, RX570, RX 580 (8GB model), RX56, and RX64. But good luck finding an AMD card at any sort of reasonable price these days.