MaxLinear Unveils Carmel™ High-Speed USB-to-UART for Next

MaxLinear Unveils Carmel™ High-Speed USB-to-UART for Next-Generation AI Data Center Console Access

CARLSBAD, Calif. — MaxLinear, Inc. (NASDAQ: MXL), a leader in high-performance analog, mixed-signal, and connectivity semiconductor solutions, today announced Carmel™ (MxL81434), a next-generation high-speed USB-to-UART solution designed to deliver reliable, low-latency console access, system bring-up, monitoring, debugging, and infrastructure management for AI data centers and hyperscale cloud environments.

Carmel combines 480Mbps High-Speed USB connectivity, four independent UART channels operating at up to 15Mbps each, an integrated I²C master, and 32 GPIOs in a highly integrated device designed for modern server, AI, and rack-scale management architectures.

Introducing Carmel™ — a high-speed USB-to-UART solution delivering low-latency console access, management, and debug connectivity for next-generation AI infrastructure.

As AI infrastructure moves from conventional server-centric deployments toward increasingly complex rack-scale architectures, the requirements for console access, debugging, provisioning, and platform management are evolving rapidly. Modern AI systems can include multiple compute nodes, accelerator platforms, networking devices, management controllers, and other subsystems that require reliable and efficient access during system development, deployment, operation, and service.

Carmel extends MaxLinear’s USB-to-UART portfolio with a high-performance connectivity and console-access building block designed to address these requirements. By combining multiple high-speed UART interfaces with USB, I²C, GPIO, and large transmit and receive FIFOs, Carmel enables system designers to consolidate multiple management functions while reducing board-level complexity.

Enabling High-Speed Console Access for AI Infrastructure

Console access plays an essential role throughout the lifecycle of a data center platform. During system bring-up, engineers rely on console interfaces to configure hardware, diagnose boot issues, and validate system operation. During deployment and maintenance, console connectivity supports provisioning, monitoring, firmware updates, troubleshooting, and system recovery.

As AI systems become more sophisticated, these workflows can involve larger volumes of diagnostic information and multiple simultaneously managed subsystems. Carmel is designed to provide the bandwidth and integration required to support these demanding use cases.

With 480Mbps High-Speed USB connectivity and four UART channels supporting data rates of up to 15Mbps per channel, Carmel provides a high-performance interface between host systems and multiple serial management endpoints.

The device also integrates 1024-byte transmit and receive FIFOs, helping maintain sustained data throughput while reducing host processor overhead. This can be particularly valuable in environments where multiple console channels must operate concurrently or where large volumes of diagnostic and monitoring data need to be transferred efficiently.

Integrated Management and Debug Capabilities

Beyond high-speed USB-to-UART connectivity, Carmel integrates additional management interfaces to help designers consolidate system functionality.

An integrated I²C master provides access to platform-management devices, while 32 GPIOs can be used for functions such as reset control, status monitoring, interrupt handling, boot configuration, and other system-level control requirements.

By combining these capabilities in a single device, Carmel can help reduce component count and simplify board design while providing greater flexibility for server and rack-scale management architectures.

The device also incorporates ±15kV HBM ESD protection, supporting robust operation in demanding server and data center environments where equipment may be exposed to electrostatic discharge during manufacturing, installation, servicing, and maintenance.

Supporting the Growth of AI Data Centers

The rapid expansion of AI infrastructure is creating new opportunities for technologies that support the management and serviceability of increasingly dense computing platforms. As hyperscalers and data center operators deploy more AI servers and accelerator systems, console access and management connectivity become increasingly important elements of platform design.

MaxLinear estimates a serviceable available market of approximately 200 million USB-to-UART units driven by AI data center deployments. Building on the company’s Coronado™ and Laguna™ USB-to-UART products, Carmel expands MaxLinear’s portfolio into higher-performance console-access, debug, monitoring, and infrastructure-management applications.

The product is designed to address a broad range of applications, including:

AI servers and accelerator platforms
Rack-scale AI systems
Universal Baseboards (UBBs)
Hyperscale cloud infrastructure
Enterprise data centers

Together, these applications represent an increasingly important requirement for reliable, scalable, and high-performance management connectivity.

Key Carmel Features

Carmel is designed to provide a combination of performance, integration, and reliability for next-generation AI infrastructure:

480Mbps High-Speed USB: Provides high-bandwidth connectivity between host systems and multiple serial management endpoints.
Four independent UART channels: Each channel supports data rates of up to 15Mbps, enabling simultaneous console and debug connectivity.
Large 1024-byte FIFOs: Help sustain high data throughput and reduce host processor intervention.
Integrated I²C master: Supports platform monitoring and management functions.
32 GPIOs: Provide flexible control for resets, interrupts, status monitoring, and system-management functions.
Low-latency connectivity: Helps accelerate system bring-up, provisioning, diagnostics, troubleshooting, and recovery.
±15kV HBM ESD protection: Supports reliable operation in demanding data center and server environments.
High integration: Combines multiple management interfaces in a single device to help simplify system architecture.

“As AI infrastructure scales, the performance requirements for console access, debug, and platform management continue to increase,” said Amit D. Bavisi, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and General Manager of MaxLinear’s Analog Mixed-Signal Business Unit. “Carmel delivers high-speed USB-to-UART connectivity, combining 480Mbps bandwidth, four UART channels supporting up to 15Mbps each, integrated I²C management, 32 GPIOs, large FIFOs, and robust ESD protection to support low-latency access and reliable operation in next-generation AI data centers.”

Expanding MaxLinear’s USB-to-UART Portfolio

Carmel builds on MaxLinear’s growing portfolio of USB-to-UART solutions, providing customers with options across a range of performance and application requirements. The addition of a high-speed, multi-channel solution enables MaxLinear to address increasingly demanding AI server and rack-scale architectures where traditional console interfaces may not provide sufficient bandwidth or integration.

“We are very pleased to work with MaxLinear to expand its existing USB-to-UART product portfolio and bring the new Carmel™ high-speed USB-to-UART product to our cloud service provider customers,” said Johnny Hsu, Vice President of Marketing, WT Microelectronics. “As data center and AI server architectures continue to evolve, customers face increasingly diverse and challenging console-access, management, and debug requirements. Carmel’s combination of 480Mbps High-Speed USB connectivity, four high-performance UART channels, integrated management capabilities, and low-latency operation provides a compelling solution that helps enable next-generation server and rack-scale platform designs.”

Availability

Carmel™ (MxL81434) samples are expected to be available in Q4 2026. Customers interested in evaluating Carmel for AI server, data center, and rack-scale applications can contact their MaxLinear representative for additional product information and availability details.

About MaxLinear, Inc.

MaxLinear, Inc. (Nasdaq: MXL) is a leading provider of radio frequency (RF), analog, digital, and mixed-signal integrated circuits for access and connectivity, wired and wireless infrastructure, and industrial and multimarket applications. MaxLinear is headquartered in Carlsbad, California. For more information, visit MaxLinear.

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Cautionary Note About Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding Carmel™ (MxL81434), its functionality, performance, benefits, market opportunity, and expected availability, including the expectation that samples will be available in the fourth quarter of 2026. These statements also include expectations regarding AI data center, hyperscale cloud, and rack-scale infrastructure growth and the potential market opportunity for USB-to-UART and related products.

These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Risks include those related to product development, testing, qualification, commercialization, customer adoption and design wins; market demand and competition; semiconductor industry conditions; global economic and geopolitical conditions; tariffs and export controls; supply-chain conditions; customer and distributor demand; product performance; cybersecurity and regulatory requirements; intellectual property; and MaxLinear’s ability to successfully develop and commercialize new products.

Additional risks and uncertainties are described in MaxLinear’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Current Reports on Form 8-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. All forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and assumptions as of the date of this release. MaxLinear undertakes no obligation to update or revise these statements except as required by law.

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