MaxLinear announced the Annapurna 224G scale-up retimer, offering up to 1.6 Tbps of electrical connectivity to enable copper backplanes and active electrical cables to operate at 224 Gbps per lane.

MaxLinear, Inc. (Nasdaq: MXL), a leading provider of high-speed interconnect ICs for data center, metro, and wireless transport networks, today announced Annapurna, a high-performance scale-up retimer delivering up to 1.6Tbps of electrical connectivity. Annapurna enables copper backplanes and Active Electrical Cables (AECs) to operate reliably at 224Gbps per lane using PAM4 signaling, allowing system architects to deploy electrical solutions where they deliver the greatest power, latency, and cost advantages.

Enabling Hybrid Optical and Electrical AI Architectures

As AI training clusters transition to 224G per lane signaling, data center operators must carefully balance bandwidth, power, cost, and reach. Optical interconnects remain essential for scale-out networking and longer distances, while electrical connectivity continues to offer compelling advantages for scale-up networking within and between racks.

At 224G per lane, however, traditional copper channels face significant physical constraints. Attenuation, return loss at interfaces, and impairments caused by skin-effect resistance, copper roughness, and inter-symbol interference limit reliable reach without advanced signal processing. These challenges can force sub-optimal usage of GPU and switch tray real estate given the need for placement of chips close to the backplane.

For large-scale GPU fabrics supporting synchronous AI training, maintaining electrical connectivity delivers meaningful benefits. Compared to optical transceivers, copper interconnects consume significantly less power per bit, introduce lower latency, and reduce overall system complexity. These factors become increasingly important as rack-scale AI systems push power density limits.

"Modern AI infrastructure increasingly relies on a hybrid approach that deploys optical and electrical connectivity where each provides maximum value," said Rajneesh Gaur, Senior VP & GM, Data Center Connectivity Business Unit, MaxLinear. "Within a data center, optical excels at longer reaches for scale-out networks, while copper remains highly attractive for scale-up networking if signal integrity challenges at 224G per lane can be addressed. Annapurna delivers the signal processing required to keep electrical connectivity viable at these speeds."

Annapurna: Extending Copper to 224G

The Annapurna Scale-Up Retimer incorporates advanced adaptive equalization, transmit pre-emphasis, and proprietary DSP algorithms to overcome electrical channel impairments at 224G per lane. These capabilities enable robust copper-based connectivity over distances that previously required optical solutions.

Available in eight- and sixteen-lane configurations, Annapurna supports 1.6Tbps and 3.2Tbps applications optimized for AEC and on-board retimer deployments. The device delivers ultra-low latency for GPU-to-GPU synchronization and high power efficiency, helping AI architects maximize performance while operating within strict power envelopes.

By extending copper's operational envelope to 224G data rates, Annapurna complements MaxLinear's optical DSP portfolio and supports emerging scale-up protocols including ESUN, UALink, and Ultra Ethernet. This provides customers with the flexibility to deploy the most appropriate interconnect technology for each segment of the AI fabric.

The volume for AEC and on-board copper retimers is expected to be 30 million units in 2029 according to LightCounting Research. Annapurna enables MaxLinear to capitalize on this opportunity to be able to increase its revenue.

Industry Endorsements

"As we architect our SkyHammer scale-up fabric, electrical connectivity at 224G per lane is fundamental," said Aravind Srikumar, SVP, Product & Marketing, Upscale.AI. "Our systems demand deterministic latency, guaranteed bandwidth, and strict power efficiency. Annapurna is an important enabler for signal integrity across our rack-scale AI systems."

"Advanced electrical DSPs like Annapurna allow copper to remain competitive at 224G, preserving power and cost advantages where they matter most," said Bob Wheeler, Analyst at Large, LightCounting Market Research. "MaxLinear's portfolio spanning both electrical and optical technologies positions the company for growth in the dynamic market for high-speed interconnects."

Key Product Features

Two product variants with eight or sixteen lanes of 224Gbps PAM4 signaling

Up to 3.2Tbps aggregate bandwidth

Advanced adaptive equalization for 224G copper channels

High power efficiency for AEC and on-board retimer applications

Ultra-low latency for scale-up GPU fabrics

Comprehensive telemetry and diagnostics

Compliance with IEEE 802.3dj and OIF CEI-224G standards

Availability

The Annapurna Scale-Up Retimer is expected to be available in Q2 2026. For more information, contact your local MaxLinear sales representative.

Comprehensive Connectivity Portfolio

Annapurna extends MaxLinear's leadership in high-speed connectivity by enabling electrical solutions at 224G per lane. Together with our Rushmore optical DSP, Keystone and Keystone MM DSPs, and Topanga TIA products, the company provides comprehensive solutions for 400G, 800G, and 1.6T applications.

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