MaxLinear Launches High-Speed USB-to-UART Chip for AI Data Centers — MaxLinear, Inc.

Event summary

MaxLinear introduced Carmel™ (MxL81434), a high-speed USB-to-UART chip for AI data center console access.
The product supports 480Mbps USB connectivity and four UART channels at up to 15 Mbps each.
Samples of Carmel™ are expected to be available in Q4 2026.
MaxLinear estimates a serviceable available market (SAM) of approximately 200 million units driven by AI data center deployments.

The big picture

MaxLinear’s Carmel™ targets the escalating performance needs of AI data centers, where low-latency console access is critical. The product extends MaxLinear’s USB-to-UART portfolio, building on prior successes like Coronado™ and Laguna™. As AI infrastructure scales, the demand for high-speed connectivity solutions is expected to grow significantly, positioning Carmel™ as a key enabler for next-generation server and rack-scale platforms.

What we're watching

Market Adoption: Whether Carmel™ can capture significant share of the estimated 200 million unit market for USB-to-UART devices in AI data centers.
Performance Leadership: How MaxLinear’s integrated I²C master and 32 GPIO channels will consolidate management functions in next-generation AI server designs.
Execution Risk: The pace at which MaxLinear can deliver samples and scale production to meet the growing demand for high-speed console access solutions.