Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Balance Sheet Details - Property and Equipment (Detail)

v2.4.1.9
Balance Sheet Details - Property and Equipment (Detail) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Property and equipment, Gross $ 28,005us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross $ 27,734us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization (16,741)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment (15,293)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
Property and equipment, net 11,264us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet 12,441us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
Furniture and fixtures [Member]    
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Useful life 5 years  
Property and equipment, Gross 757us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_FurnitureAndFixturesMember
735us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_FurnitureAndFixturesMember
Machinery and equipment [Member]    
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Property and equipment, Gross 12,864us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_MachineryAndEquipmentMember
12,695us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_MachineryAndEquipmentMember
Machinery and equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]    
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Useful life 3 years  
Machinery and equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]    
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Useful life 5 years  
Masks and production equipment [Member]    
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Useful life 2 years  
Property and equipment, Gross 8,672us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= mxl_MasksAndProductionEquipmentMember
8,672us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= mxl_MasksAndProductionEquipmentMember
Software [Member]    
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Useful life 3 years  
Property and equipment, Gross 1,193us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ComputerSoftwareIntangibleAssetMember
905us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ComputerSoftwareIntangibleAssetMember
Leasehold improvements [Member]    
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Property and equipment, Gross 4,451us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LeaseholdImprovementsMember
4,451us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LeaseholdImprovementsMember
Leasehold improvements [Member] | Minimum [Member]    
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Useful life 4 years  
Leasehold improvements [Member] | Maximum [Member]    
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Useful life 5 years  
Construction in progress [Member]    
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Property and equipment, Gross $ 68us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember
$ 276us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember