Threads

Optimal number of threads depends on the size of the L3 cache of CPU.

• For cryptonight it's 2 MB or 4 MB (lower power mode) per thread.
• For cryptonight-lite it's 1 MB or 2 MB (lower power mode) per thread.

Options

By default, XMRig try choice optimal threads settings for current CPU with very estimated maximum CPU load 75% (--max-cpu-usage=75).

Algorithm

-a, --algo=ALGO       cryptonight (default) or cryptonight-lite

If you want use CryptoNight-Lite (AEON) you should specify this option --algo=cryptonight-lite. For cryptonight (Monero) it's option optional.

Threads count

-t, --threads=N       number of miner threads

Manually specified number of threads. With --safe option this number can be automatically reduced to not to exceed the optimal thread count.

Algorithm variation

-v, --av=N            algorithm variation, 0 auto select\n\

• --av=1 For CPUs with hardware AES.
• --av=2 Lower power mode (double hash) of 1.
• --av=3 Software AES implementation.
• --av=4 Lower power mode (double hash) of 3.

With --safe option you can not select AES variations if your CPU not support AES-NI. It will be adjusted to software AES variation.

Affinity

    --cpu-affinity    set process affinity to cpu core(s), mask 0x3 for cores 0 and 1

Maximum cpu usage

    --max-cpu-usage=N maximum cpu usage for automatic threads mode (default 75)\n\

It's very estimated maximum CPU usage for auto mode. For example 3 threads of 4, it's about 75%.

Safe mode

    --safe            safe adjust threads and av settings for current CPU

Examples

Intel i7 7700

• without any threads options: 4 threads, av=1, cryptonight, 50% CPU load.
• --av=2: 2 threads, av=2, cryptonight, 25% CPU load.
• --algo=cryptonight-lite: 4 threads, av=2, cryptonight-lite, 50% CPU load.
• --algo=cryptonight-lite --av=1: 6 threads, av=1, cryptonight-lite, 75% CPU load.