MaxLinear introduced two new USB-to-UART device families aimed at the growing control-plane infrastructure requirements of AI data centers. The new Coronado™ (MxL81424) and Laguna™ (MxL81108) product lines target console access, out-of-band management, monitoring, and rack-scale system control for hyperscale AI clusters, including Universal Baseboards (UBB), multi-node systems, and high-density rack architectures.
The announcement highlights a lesser-discussed but increasingly important aspect of AI infrastructure: the operational management layer surrounding large GPU clusters and accelerator fabrics. As hyperscalers deploy higher rack densities and more complex AI systems, the number of serial console connections and control-plane endpoints expands significantly. MaxLinear said its new devices support deterministic multi-channel console access with integrated USB 2.0 and enhanced UART functionality designed for dense server and rack-scale environments.
The Coronado MxL81424 emphasizes integration density and board-space reduction. It features a compact 5 × 5 mm QFN package, an integrated programmable 48 MHz oscillator, programmable internal clocking options, and UART baud rates up to 12 Mbps. The Laguna MxL81108 focuses on deployment flexibility through pin-to-pin compatibility with existing USB-to-UART solutions, allowing OEMs and hyperscalers to qualify alternative suppliers without major board redesigns. Both devices integrate ±15 kV ESD protection and 512-byte transmit/receive FIFOs for high-concurrency console operations.
- Coronado™ (MxL81424)
- 5 × 5 mm QFN package
- Integrated programmable 48 MHz oscillator
- Programmable internal clocking at 6 MHz, 12 MHz, or 24 MHz
- UART baud rates up to 12 Mbps
- Samples expected June 2026
- Production targeted for second half of 2026
- Laguna™ (MxL81108)
- Pin-compatible with widely deployed USB UART devices
- Designed as drop-in replacement for existing systems
- Samples expected in Q3 2026
- Production targeted by end of 2026
- Shared platform features
- USB 2.0 support
- Multi-channel UART architecture
- 512-byte TX/RX FIFOs
- ±15 kV ESD protection
- Target applications include AI servers, storage, network equipment, and rack management controllers
“AI data center deployments are pushing infrastructure to new levels of scale, density, operational complexity, and industrial-level reliability,” said Amit D. Bavisi, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and General Manager, Analog Mixed-Signal Business Unit at MaxLinear. “We believe that the market size for USB UART devices is substantial with an estimated 200M units driven by AI Data Center deployments.”