NMAxe’s open-source Bitcoin mining firmware has documented a substantial September update: version 3.1.03 adds NMQAxe++ Nexus board support, automatic board-revision detection, recovery logic and beginner-friendly performance presets.

Nexus support arrives in the upstream code

The project’s upstream documentation dates v3.1.03 to September 22, 2026 and lists support for a new NMQAxe++ Nexus variant using a BM1373 ASIC. It also adds automatic detection between QAxe++ board revisions through a GPIO strap.

If the firmware does not match the detected board, the interface is designed to show a full-screen wrong-firmware warning instead of silently continuing. That safeguard matters because the project stopped offering one universal image earlier in the 3.1 series and tells users to select firmware for their exact device model.

Open-source miner firmware has been moving quickly. BitcoinVersus.tech recently covered improved Bitaxe firmware warnings and encrypted Stratum V2 support through AxeOS.

Automatic recovery targets stalled channels

Independent technical analysis highlights the new HCN auto-reinitialization behavior. When the miner detects channel imbalance, missing channels or a lack of progress, it can perform a fast Vcore power-cycle recovery. The notes specify at least 15 minutes between attempts.

The update also introduces ECO, Normal and Turbo presets plus benchmark charts for frequency, hashrate, power and efficiency. Those presets make tuning more approachable, but they do not make every ASIC sample thermally or electrically identical.

The Nexus hardware class in practice

The following recent English-language hardware test provides useful context for the compact multi-chip Nexus mining class. It shows a Nexus QX1 being operated and tuned around the same broader open-source desktop-mining ecosystem.

A temperature reading changes after the update

One detail deserves attention before users interpret a post-upgrade temperature increase as a new fault. The v3.1.03 notes say the NMQAxe++ Vcore temperature source was corrected to use the VRM’s internal sensor. The project warns that readings can therefore appear 10 to 20 degrees Celsius higher than before.

That is a telemetry correction, not automatically evidence that the hardware suddenly became hotter. Operators should compare the sensor source and release notes before drawing conclusions from a changed dashboard number.

This kind of board-level detail is why our Bitcoin ASIC architecture guide emphasizes the relationship among ASIC silicon, control electronics, power delivery and firmware.

There is one important release caveat

The upstream README documents v3.1.03, but the project’s GitHub Releases page was still showing v3.1.02 as the latest packaged release when checked. Users should therefore verify that a model-specific v3.1.03 binary actually exists for their exact board before flashing anything.

That caveat is especially important with open-source mining hardware. A README can document code-level changes before every device image has completed packaging and distribution. The safest path is exact board identification, a known-good backup, a verified firmware asset and a staged upgrade.

BitcoinVersus.Tech Editor’s Note: NMAxe’s upstream README documents v3.1.03, while the separately indexed GitHub Releases page still showed v3.1.02 as latest during verification. Confirm the exact model-specific image before flashing.

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