Antminer S21+ vs S19: Which Bitcoin Miner Should YOU Buy in 2025?

Bitmain Miners

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7:37 min
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22 Oct 2025
andreas

The Real Question: Is spending an extra $2,000 on the S21+ worth it? Or should you go with the battle-tested S19?

The Spoiler: The answer depends on exactly THREE things. We’re breaking it down.

Let’s Start With The Obvious

Both miners are absolutely excellent.

But they’re different beasts.

The S19? It’s the proven warrior. Thousands deployed globally. Rock-solid reliability.

The S21+? It’s the new hotness. Latest technology. Better efficiency. Future-proof.

Think of it like choosing between a Honda Civic (reliable, proven) and a Tesla Model 3 (newer, more efficient).

Both get you where you need to go. Question is: which one’s right for YOU?

📊 The Head-to-Head Comparison

Let me put these side by side so you can see exactly what you’re dealing with.

🏆 Specifications Showdown

Spec	S21+	S19	Winner
Hash Rate	235 TH/s	95 TH/s	S21+ (+148%)
Power	3,050W	1,320W	S19 (-57%)
Efficiency	12.9 J/TH	13.9 J/TH	S21+ (best)
Price	$2,800-$3,500	$700-$900	S19 (budget)
Daily Revenue	$10-$14	$4-$5.50	S21+ (more $)
Noise Level	76 dB	75 dB	Tie (both loud)
Setup Complexity	Easy	Easy	Tie
Warranty	180 days	180 days	Tie

💰 The Financial Impact

Here’s where it gets interesting.

S21+ Investment & Returns:

Initial Cost:     $3,200
Monthly Revenue:  $315
Electricity Cost: -$92
Monthly Profit:   $223

Break-Even:       14 months
Year 1 Profit:    $814 (after ROI)
Year 2 Profit:    $2,676
3-Year Total:     $6,128 ✅

S19 Investment & Returns:

Initial Cost:     $800
Monthly Revenue:  $150
Electricity Cost: -$40
Monthly Profit:   $110

Break-Even:       7 months
Year 1 Profit:    $1,120 (after ROI)
Year 2 Profit:    $1,320
3-Year Total:     $3,752 ✅

The Plot Twist:

The S19 breaks even FASTER (7 months vs 14 months). But the S21+ makes MORE TOTAL MONEY over time.

🔍 Let’s Talk Efficiency (The Secret Sauce)

This is where things get interesting.

⚡ J/TH: The Metric That Matters

“J/TH” means “Joules per Terahash”—basically, how much power each unit of computing power consumes.

Lower = better

S21+: 12.9 J/TH (uses less power per hash)
S19: 13.9 J/TH (uses more power per hash)

“Why does 1.0 J/TH difference matter?” you ask.

Watch this:

💡 Real Electricity Impact (Per Year)

Location: USA with $0.10/kWh electricity

S21+ Annual Electricity Cost:

Power: 3,050W × 24 hours × 365 days = 26,748 kWh
Cost: 26,748 × $0.10 = $2,675/year

S19 Annual Electricity Cost:

Power: 1,320W × 24 hours × 365 days = 11,565 kWh
Cost: 11,565 × $0.10 = $1,157/year

Difference: S19 saves $1,518/year on electricity

But wait—the S21+ earns WAY more…

📈 Annual Profit Comparison

Factor	S21+	S19
Annual Revenue	$3,780	$1,830
Annual Electricity	($2,675)	($1,157)
Net Annual Profit	$1,105	$673

The S21+ generates $432 more profit per year despite costing 4x more.

That’s a 64% better return on capital.

🎯 So Which One Should YOU Buy?

Real talk: it depends on three factors.

Factor #1: Your Budget 💰

“I have $1,000-$1,500 total” → Buy the S19 (leave $700 for setup/contingency)

“I have $3,500-$4,000 total” → Buy the S21+ (optimal investment)

“I have $8,000+” → Buy TWO S21+ units (scale up, better economics)

Factor #2: Your Electricity Cost ⚡

This one’s huge.

“My electricity is $0.05-0.08/kWh” (lucky you!) → S21+ is the clear winner (maximize efficiency advantages)

“My electricity is $0.10-0.12/kWh” (USA average) → Both profitable, but S21+ generates 64% better ROI

“My electricity is $0.15+/kWh” (ouch) → S19 makes more sense (lower power consumption)

Factor #3: Your Timeline 📅

“I want to break even FAST” → S19 (breaks even in 7 months vs 14 months)

“I want MAXIMUM profit over 3-5 years” → S21+ (higher cumulative earnings)

“I’m not sure about long-term commitment” → S19 (lower risk, lower investment)

🤝 The Honest Comparison

Why Choose S19? ✅

You should buy S19 if:

✅ Budget is under $2,000
✅ You want to break even quickly
✅ You’re testing if mining is right for you
✅ Your electricity costs $0.15+/kWh
✅ You want maximum flexibility
✅ You prefer lower electricity bills
✅ You’re starting with just one miner

The reality: S19 is the smart entry point for 90% of people starting out.

Why Choose S21+? ✅

You should buy S21+ if:

✅ You have $3,500+ to invest
✅ You want the latest technology
✅ Your electricity costs less than $0.12/kWh
✅ You’re planning 3+ year operation
✅ You want maximum profitability (not ROI speed)
✅ You’re deploying multiple units
✅ You’re serious about mining as income

The reality: S21+ is the professional choice for serious miners.

📈 Real-World Scenarios

Let me show you actual examples of people just like you.

Scenario A: Budget-Conscious Beginner

Meet Jake:

Budget: $1,000
Electricity: $0.11/kWh
Timeline: Testing the waters

Jake’s Decision: S19

Why? He can afford it, break even in 7 months, and if mining doesn’t work out, he loses less. Smart.

Results after 1 year:

Spent: $800 (miner) + $309 (electricity) = $1,109
Earned: $1,830 (Bitcoin)
Profit: +$721 ✅

Broke even in month 7. Now mining for pure profit.

Scenario B: Serious Investor

Meet Sarah:

Budget: $4,000
Electricity: $0.09/kWh (great deal)
Timeline: 5-year plan

Sarah’s Decision: S21+

Why? Better electricity rate, serious timeline, wants max profit.

Results after 1 year:

Spent: $3,200 (miner) + $2,403 (electricity) = $5,603
Earned: $3,780 (Bitcoin)
Profit: -$1,823 (still in red, but on track)

Breaks even in month 14. But then earns $1,200+/month for years 2-5.

5-year total profit: $20,000+

Much better than Jake’s $3,000.

Scenario C: The Opportunist

Meet Marcus:

Budget: $2,000
Electricity: $0.08/kWh (renewable energy deal)
Timeline: Long-term

Marcus’s Decision: Buy S19 NOW, S21+ Later

Why? With that electricity rate, he wants to scale. Start with proven S19, add S21+ in 6 months.

Results:

Month 1-6: S19 mines $900/month, breaks even quickly
Month 7+: Reinvests profits into S21+
End of year: Running both, making $1,300/month combined

Smart scaling strategy.

🚨 The Things People Get Wrong

❌ Common Mistake #1: “S21+ costs 4x more, so I should get S19”

Reality: Initial cost ≠ total profit

S21+ costs 4x more upfront, but makes 64% more annual profit. Over 3 years, S21+ is the better investment if you have the capital.

❌ Common Mistake #2: “I’ll buy S19, upgrade to S21+ later”

Reality: This rarely happens

People either:

Hodl their S19 (it still works, so they keep running it)
Mine Bitcoin instead of investing in new equipment
Get busy/distracted

Upgrade plans don’t materialize. Buy what you want NOW.

❌ Common Mistake #3: “S21+ is newer, so it’s automatically better”

Reality: “Better” depends on your situation

For someone with $0.15/kWh electricity and $1,000 budget? S19 is clearly better.

For institutional mining? S21+ is the obvious choice.

❌ Common Mistake #4: “I’ll save on electricity with S19”

Reality: Yes, but you’ll make LESS money total

If you have cheap electricity, S21+ profit advantage far outweighs the power consumption.

If you have expensive electricity, S19’s lower power consumption helps, but S21+ still might be better.

Do the math for YOUR situation. Don’t assume.

🎲 The Risk Analysis

S19 Risks:

⚠️ Older technology (might become obsolete faster)
⚠️ Lower hashrate (competes in harder environment)
⚠️ Smaller daily earnings ($4-5 feels slow)

S21+ Risks:

⚠️ Higher upfront cost (more to lose)
⚠️ Higher electricity consumption
⚠️ Takes 14 months to break even

Verdict? Both have manageable risks. Choose based on YOUR risk tolerance.

💡 The Quick Decision Tree

Start here:

Do you have $3,500 to invest?
├─ NO → Buy S19 ✅
└─ YES
   ├─ Is your electricity $0.12+/kWh?
   │  └─ YES → Buy S19 ✅
   └─ NO
      ├─ Are you planning 3+ years?
      │  └─ YES → Buy S21+ ✅
      └─ NO
         └─ Buy S19 ✅

Got $3,500+ + electricity <$0.12/kWh + 3-year plan? → S21+ wins

Otherwise? S19 is the safe choice.

📊 The Bottom Line

S19: The Smart Play for Most People

Entry-level price: $800
Break-even: 7 months
Best for: Beginners, budget-conscious, fast ROI seekers
Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 for value)

Honest truth: If you’re just starting, get the S19. It’s proven, profitable, and lets you test the waters without massive risk.

S21+: The Professional’s Choice

Investment: $3,200
Break-even: 14 months
Best for: Serious miners, long-term operators, professionals
Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 for profit)

Honest truth: If you can afford it and have decent electricity, S21+ generates substantially more profit over 3-5 years.

🎬 What We Recommend (Based on Real Data)

Our advice?

First-time miners: Start with S19. Break even faster, lower risk, proven reliability. If you love mining, upgrade to S21+ in year 2.

Experienced miners: Jump straight to S21+. You know what you’re doing. Maximize returns.

Uncertain miners: S19. You can always sell it later and get the S21+. Exit is easier with proven hardware.

❓ Your Questions, Answered

“Will S19 become obsolete?”

No. The S19 has been the standard for 3+ years and will remain profitable as long as Bitcoin exists above $20,000.

Even in 2027-2028, S19 will still make money. Just not as much as newer models.

“Should I wait for S22 instead?”

No. S22 won’t exist for 1-2 years. You’d miss 18 months of mining profit.

Better to start with S19/S21+ now, mine Bitcoin for 18 months, then upgrade if S22 exists.

“Can I run both S19 and S21+ together?”

Absolutely. Many miners do this—start with S19, add S21+ later.

Combined monthly profit: $300-400 (depending on electricity). Very viable.

“Is S19 still worth buying in 2025?”

Yes. Thousands of new miners bought S19 in 2024. Still highly profitable globally.

It’s like asking if a Toyota is worth buying in 2025. It’s older, but it works great.

“What about S19K Pro?”

Good question. S19K Pro is the middle ground:

120 TH/s (better than S19)
$850-950 (slightly more than S19)
13.1 J/TH (slightly better than S19)

If you can afford it, S19K Pro is the sweet spot between S19 and S21+.

🚀 How to Make Your Decision

Here’s what to do right now:

Check Your Electricity Rate – Call your power company. This determines everything.
Do The Math – Use our ROI calculator (link) with YOUR exact numbers.
Decide Your Timeline – 1-year hobby or 5-year business?
Choose Your Miner – Based on budget + electricity + timeline.
Buy With Confidence – You’ve got this.