An ASIC miner quote is only comparable when it identifies the exact hardware, its condition, the stock location, the delivery commitment and the warranty evidence. A short line such as “spot,” “December batch” or “out of warranty” leaves important questions open. Before accepting it, turn the line into a written order specification rather than choosing on the headline price alone.
This guide concerns reading and comparing quotations, not choosing a mining algorithm, inspecting live equipment or predicting returns. The cover uses an approved Antminer product photograph for illustration; it is not a photograph of a reserved shipment.
Start with an exact variant, not just a model name
Record the manufacturer, model suffix, nominal hashrate and unit, cooling type, condition and quantity. Treat the power supply and included accessories as separate fields. Two offers with the same family name may concern different performance bins or configurations.
For example, use the selected option on the Antminer S21 XP product page as an identity reference, then ask for that exact option in the written quote. A product image establishes neither stock ownership nor the serial numbers assigned to your order.
| Quote field | What to obtain in writing | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| Model and hashrate | Exact suffix, unit and performance bin | Interchangeability with another variant |
| Cooling and accessories | Cooling configuration, PSU and accessory list | That the installation site is ready |
| Condition | New, used or other specifically described condition | Remaining manufacturer warranty |
| Quantity and warehouse | Available quantity and dispatch location | That all units are already reserved |
| Quote validity | Expiry time, currency and payment milestones | An indefinite offer |
Separate stock availability from the delivery timeline
For a line marked Spot, ask whether the specified quantity is physically available at the stated warehouse and when it can be released after the agreed payment and checks. Do not read the label as an arrival-date guarantee.
For a line marked 3 days or 7 days, ask what starts the clock and what milestone ends it: payment confirmation, warehouse release, carrier collection or delivery. Also ask whether the estimate uses working days or calendar days. These are clarification questions, not a universal definition of supplier shorthand.
For a named month or a range such as Jan–Feb, request the year and a written dispatch window. If a quote says “mix,” ask exactly what is mixed: delivery periods, performance bins, quantities or another attribute. Keep each confirmed combination on its own order line.
Distinguish the manufacturer's release schedule, the supplier's warehouse processing and the carrier's transit estimate. If the intended batch is delayed, agree in advance who communicates the change and whether a replacement needs your approval. Do not assume that a different hashrate or delivery month is an equivalent substitution.
Check warranty independently of condition
BITMAIN's product warranty guidance ties the warranty period to official shipment and the sales contract; its warranty-check guidance points buyers to a serial-number lookup. For an actual order, request the applicable record and check date. Do not reset the warranty clock to the date of a resale.
Keep three separate entries in the quote: manufacturer coverage, any seller service commitment and any specifically agreed arrival-fault procedure. Record the responsible party, the end date or duration, required evidence and return-shipping responsibility. An out-of-warranty unit and a used unit with documented remaining coverage are different offers. The used-miner collection is a starting point for finding options, not proof of warranty on a particular machine.
Compare the cost to the same destination
Ask each supplier to quote the same quantity, destination and agreed shipping scope. Use this worksheet without filling unknown charges with zero:
| Cost or responsibility | Record for each offer |
|---|---|
| Equipment | Currency, quantity and the exact configuration |
| Freight and handling | What is included and where the shipment is delivered |
| Import clearance and taxes | Named responsible party and confirmed basis for the estimate |
| Transit insurance | Whether cover is included and where to inspect its terms |
| Payment and currency charges | Applicable fees and when conversion is calculated |
| Commissioning items | Separately required accessories and site work |
The ICC Academy explanation of DAP and DDP distinguishes import-clearance responsibility: under DAP it falls to the buyer; under DDP it falls to the seller. Request the agreed rule, edition and named place rather than treating “shipping included” as a complete allocation of responsibilities. Confirm local import requirements with the relevant customs professional; this guide does not calculate a jurisdiction's duties.
Keep equipment acquisition costs separate from operating assumptions. The mining profitability calculator can help explore operating inputs, but a scenario does not verify inventory, delivery or warranty and is not a promised return.
Send one confirmation summary before payment
Ask the supplier to acknowledge the following in one document or message:
- Exact model, hashrate, cooling configuration, condition and quantity.
- Stock origin and the specific batch or dispatch window, including the year.
- Included PSU, cables and other agreed accessories.
- Warranty evidence and the separate seller-service or arrival-fault terms, if any.
- Destination, freight scope and responsibility for import clearance and taxes.
- Quote expiry, currency, payment milestones and the process for proposed substitutions.
- The documents and test evidence that will accompany the shipment.
If a field conflicts with a product page or an earlier message, resolve it before accepting the quote. Keep the final version and its date with the order. An earlier screenshot is useful history, not confirmation that an expired batch remains available.
