AMD BC250: Ex-Mining Card Based on PS5 Chip Delivers Budget Gaming Power for $120

The $120 Gaming Surprise: Repurposing PS5 Silicon for PC Performance

In a fascinating development for budget PC builders, a repurposed cryptocurrency mining board—the AMD BC250—is demonstrating remarkable gaming capabilities, successfully running demanding titles like Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V) and Cyberpunk 2077. What makes this card particularly noteworthy is its hardware lineage: it is based on the same RDNA 2 architecture found in the PlayStation 5 (PS5) console.

With a reported street price of around $120, the BC250 offers an extremely compelling performance-per-dollar ratio, breathing new life into hardware originally designed for the now-defunct Ethereum mining boom. The discovery and testing, conducted by the hardware channel Budget-Builds Official, confirms that this unusual piece of silicon is far easier to integrate into a standard PC build than previously assumed.

Anatomy of the BC250: The PS5 Connection

The AMD BC250 is not a traditional retail graphics card. It belongs to a family of specialized boards created during the peak of the crypto mining era. These boards were designed for maximum hash rate efficiency and minimal power consumption, often lacking standard video output ports (like HDMI or DisplayPort) and relying on a host system for display output.

The Oberon Architecture

The key to the BC250’s performance lies in its core silicon. The board utilizes a variant of the AMD Oberon chip, which is the custom processor powering the PlayStation 5. This means the BC250 leverages the highly efficient RDNA 2 graphics architecture, which is known for its strong performance and feature set, including hardware-accelerated ray tracing.

While the exact specifications of the BC250 vary slightly from the PS5’s configuration, the underlying technology is robust. These boards typically feature a substantial amount of high-speed memory, often GDDR6, necessary for both mining and modern gaming textures.

Performance Benchmarks: Running AAA Titles on a Budget

Testing conducted by Budget-Builds Official demonstrated that the BC250 is capable of delivering playable frame rates in current-generation games, positioning it as a serious contender in the entry-level gaming market.

Crucially, the card’s performance is achieved despite its non-standard origins, relying on modified drivers or specific setup procedures to function correctly in a Windows environment. The results show that the RDNA 2 architecture, even in this repurposed form, handles modern graphical loads effectively.

Key performance highlights include:

• Cyberpunk 2077: The BC250 managed to run the notoriously demanding title at playable settings, likely utilizing low-to-medium presets and upscaling technologies (like FSR) to maintain smooth frame rates.
• Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V): This older, but still popular, title ran exceptionally well, indicating that the card is more than capable of handling less graphically intensive esports titles and older AAA games at high settings.

For gamers operating on a strict budget of $500 to $700 for an entire system, the BC250 represents a significant saving compared to purchasing a new entry-level dedicated graphics card, which typically starts around $180–$250.

Setup and Integration: Overcoming the Mining Hurdle

Historically, repurposing mining cards has been complicated by a lack of official driver support and the necessity of flashing custom BIOS firmware. However, the BC250 appears to bypass some of these traditional headaches.

“Apparently it is easier to set up than expected,” reported Budget-Builds Official, noting that the integration process was surprisingly straightforward given the card’s specialized nature.

This ease of setup is critical for mainstream adoption. If the card requires minimal technical expertise beyond standard driver installation, it drastically increases its appeal to the average budget builder. The primary challenge remains the lack of native video outputs, meaning the BC250 must be paired with a motherboard or CPU that has integrated graphics (iGPU) to handle the display output.

Required Configuration Nuances

To use the BC250 effectively, builders must understand that it functions primarily as a compute accelerator, not a traditional display adapter. This requires:

1. Integrated Graphics (iGPU): The system must have a processor with integrated graphics (like many Intel CPUs or AMD APUs) to connect the monitor.
2. Driver Management: Specific AMD drivers must be installed, often requiring workarounds or modified versions to recognize the BC250 correctly as a graphics processing unit (GPU).
3. Power: While mining cards are generally power-efficient, builders must ensure the power supply unit (PSU) can handle the card’s requirements under sustained gaming load.

Key Considerations for Budget Builders

While the $120 price tag is highly attractive, potential buyers must weigh the risks associated with purchasing ex-mining hardware.

• Longevity and Wear: Mining cards often run 24/7 for months or years under high load. While they are usually undervolted and run cool, the components, particularly the fans and memory, may have reduced lifespans.
• Warranty: These boards typically come with no manufacturer warranty or support, meaning the purchase is entirely “as-is.”
• Driver Future: Reliance on modified or unofficial drivers means future operating system updates or game patches could potentially break compatibility, requiring ongoing community support.

Despite these risks, the BC250 represents a unique opportunity to access RDNA 2 performance—the same architecture driving current-generation consoles—at a fraction of the cost of a new retail graphics card.

Key Takeaways

For budget-conscious gamers and hardware enthusiasts, the AMD BC250 offers an unexpected path to modern gaming performance:

• Hardware Base: The card is built on the AMD Oberon silicon, sharing the RDNA 2 architecture with the PlayStation 5.
• Price Point: Available for approximately $120, making it one of the cheapest entry points to modern AAA gaming.
• Performance: Successfully runs demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 and GTA V at playable frame rates.
• Setup: Reported to be surprisingly easy to set up, mitigating common fears associated with ex-mining hardware.
• Requirement: Requires a system with integrated graphics (iGPU) to handle display output, as the BC250 lacks standard video ports.

Conclusion

The emergence of the AMD BC250 as a viable, ultra-budget gaming solution underscores the dynamic nature of the hardware market, particularly the repurposing of specialized mining equipment. For users willing to navigate the minor complexities of driver installation and the necessity of an iGPU, this $120 board provides access to powerful RDNA 2 technology that was previously locked behind console walls or expensive retail GPUs. This trend offers a crucial lifeline for gamers seeking maximum performance value in 2025.