MaxLinear, Inc. Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Business Combination - Additional Information (Details)

Business Combination - Additional Information (Details) $ in Thousands, shares in Millions			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2015 USD ($) subsidiary shares	Oct. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Stock based compensation expense			$ 5,011	$ 4,002	$ 13,524	$ 11,080
Remaining fair value step-up included in inventory			36,265		36,265				$ 10,858
Goodwill			49,373		$ 49,373				1,201
2015 RSU Plan [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Period for recognizing stock-based compensation		14 months
2016 RSU Plan [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Period for recognizing stock-based compensation		26 months
Continued Employment [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Quarterly installments		$ 200
Separately recognized transactions, expenses and losses recognized		100
Working Capital Adjustment									40
Continued Employment [Member] \| Scenario, Forecast [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Separately recognized transactions, expenses and losses recognized							$ 50	$ 70
RSUs [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Stock based compensation expense			3,200
Maximum value of restricted stock issued for meeting performance targets									3,250
Period for recognizing stock-based compensation					4 years	4 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities, Accrued Compensation			700		$ 700
RSUs [Member] \| Former Entropic Stock Plans [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Stock based compensation expense			800		3,200
RSUs [Member] \| Scenario, Forecast [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Maximum value of restricted stock issued for meeting performance targets							$ 1,625	$ 1,625
Maximum revenue to average company share price							50.00%	50.00%
Number of consecutive trading days used to calculated average closing sales price							5 days	5 days
Entropic Communications [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of wholly-owned subsidiaries (in subsidiary) \| subsidiary	2
Cash	$ 111,125
Consideration issued in shares \| shares	20.4
Total consideration given	$ 289,391
Portion of outstanding equity awards deemed to have been outstanding and vested	173,781
Equity value of shares that were outstanding and vested prior to acquisition	4,485
Portion of equity awards that have not been vested or earned	$ 9,300
Number of stock options that have not been vested or earned (shares) \| shares	1.9
Capitalized acquisition costs	$ 700
Fair market value step-up in inventory	14,200
Cost of goods sold recognized related to fair value step-up			900		14,200
Acquisition related costs					5,300
Intangible assets acquired	92,400
Revenue of acquiree since acquisition			54,500		54,500
Earnings of acquiree since acquisition			27,000		27,000
Goodwill	48,172
Identifiable intangible assets	92,400
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities, Accrued Compensation	$ 3,517
Entropic Communications [Member] \| Developed Technology Rights [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Average useful life	7 years
Entropic Communications [Member] \| RSUs [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of restricted stock units that have not been vested or earned (shares) \| shares	1.3
Entropic Communications [Member] \| Common Stock [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Consideration issued in shares \| shares	20.4
Entropic Communications [Member] \| Common Stock [Member] \| Former Entropic Stock Plans [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Consideration issued in shares \| shares	3.2
Physpeed [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash		9,250
Total consideration given		9,515
Equity value of shares that were outstanding and vested prior to acquisition		$ 265
Acquisition related costs									300
Percentage of voting interests acquired		100.00%
Escrow deposit		$ 1,100
Contingent consideration payments					800
Goodwill		1,201
Identifiable intangible assets		$ 10,000
Average useful life		7 years
Physpeed [Member] \| Continued Employment [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Contingent consideration liability		$ 1,700
Term of liability		2 years
Physpeed [Member] \| Earn-out Consideration [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Contingent consideration liability		$ 300	$ 142		$ 142				$ 300
Contingent consideration, high range of outcomes		750
Physpeed [Member] \| Earn-out Consideration [Member] \| Scenario, Forecast [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Base amount multiplied by revenue percent							$ 375	$ 375
Physpeed [Member] \| Retention and Performance-based Agreements [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Contingent consideration, high range of outcomes		3,250
Physpeed [Member] \| Developed Technology Rights [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Identifiable intangible assets		2,700
Physpeed [Member] \| In Process Research and Development [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Identifiable intangible assets		$ 7,300