As a globally leading provider of semiconductor solutions, Marvell (Marvell Semiconductor) offers a wide range of product lines covering core fields such as data centers, enterprise networks, automotive electronics, and consumer electronics. While its part numbers (Part Numbers) are primarily identified by the prefix "88", different subsequent letter prefixes correspond to distinct product categories, embodying clear technical logic. This article provides a comprehensive breakdown of Marvell’s core product lines and an in-depth analysis of its part number rules, helping you quickly identify models and their application scenarios.

I. Marvell’s Core Product Lines: Covering Four Key Fields

1. Data Center/Cloud Computing/Enterprise Storage: Hardcore Computing Power and Storage Support

As Marvell’s strategic core segment, this area focuses on high-bandwidth, high-reliability storage and network chips, serving as the "backbone" of cloud computing infrastructure:

• Storage Controllers/Adapters:
  • SAS/SATA/NVMe RAID/HBA Controllers: Represented by the 88SE94xx Series (e.g., 88SE9485 supports 12G SAS/SATA protocols, with a single chip capable of connecting 24 hard drives). These are widely used in RAID cards for Dell PowerEdge and HP ProLiant servers to ensure stable data read/write performance.
  • NVMe SSD Controllers: The 88NV11xx and 88SS132x Series are the mainstays (e.g., 88NV1370 supports PCIe 4.0 x4 interface with sequential read/write speeds exceeding 7000MB/s), compatible with enterprise-grade NVMe SSDs from Samsung and Kioxia.
• Network Adapters and DPUs:
  • Ethernet Controllers: Covering speeds from 10G to 400G. For example, the Arm-based Octeon Series DPUs (model CN96xx) deliver 200 TOPS of computing power, support 400G Ethernet and hardware-accelerated encryption, and are used in storage servers at Alibaba Cloud and AWS data centers.
• Switch Chips: The Prestera Series is the core (e.g., Prestera CX7230 supports 128 x 25G ports), compatible with Huawei CloudEngine 16800 data center switches to meet low-latency forwarding requirements for large-scale computing clusters.
• Security Chips: Hardware-accelerated encryption/decryption coprocessors (e.g., 88Z105 TPM 2.0 chip, compliant with ISO/IEC 11889 standards) are used for trusted boot protection in Inspur servers.

2. Enterprise Networks (Wired & Wireless): "Nervous System" for Campus and Industrial Networks

This segment focuses on the stability of network access and transmission, covering campus networks, industrial Ethernet, and carrier edge scenarios:

• Ethernet Switch Chips: Continuing the Prestera Series (e.g., Prestera DX293 supports 24 x 1G electrical ports + 4 x 1G optical ports), used in H3C S5130 series campus access switches to meet high-concurrency needs of enterprise office networks.
• PHY Chips: Marvell’s "flagship product line", centered on the 88E and 88X Series:
  • 1G PHY: 88E1111 supports IEEE 802.3ab, used in TP-Link TL-SG1024DE switches for enterprise desktop-level network access.
  • Multi-Gig PHY: 88X3310 supports 10G/5G/2.5G/1G/100M multi-rates, and 88X7120 supports 25G rates. Both are used in backhaul ports of enterprise Wi-Fi 6 APs (e.g., Cisco Meraki MR57).
• Wi-Fi and Processors:
  • Enterprise Wi-Fi AP SoCs: 88W9098 supports Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and BT 5.1, with a 30% expanded coverage range, used in Aruba AP-515 enterprise wireless access points.
  • Communication Processors: The Armada Series (e.g., Armada 385) is used in Huawei enterprise routers (AR650) to support VPN encryption and multi-WAN port aggregation.

3. Automotive, Industrial & Automation: "Core Chip Library" for Automotive Intelligence

With the electrification and intelligent upgrading of automobiles, Marvell’s layout in automotive Ethernet and industrial control is rapidly advancing:

• Automotive Ethernet Chips:
  • Automotive Switches: 88Q5050 (5-port), 88Q5072 (8-port), 88Q6113 (12-port) all support Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN). The 88Q6113 is used in the autonomous driving perception system of BMW iX to enable low-latency transmission of LiDAR and camera data.
  • Automotive PHYs: 88EA1512 (100M) and 88Q2112 (1G) comply with AEC-Q100 Grade 2 standards (-40°C to +105°C). The 88Q2112 is compatible with the intelligent cockpit domain controller of BYD Han.
• Industrial-grade Chips:
  • Industrial SoCs: Industrial versions of the Armada Series (e.g., Armada 7040) are used in Siemens S7-1500 PLCs to support PROFINET industrial protocols.
  • Industrial Storage Controllers: The 88SE9230 SATA RAID controller is used in Advantech industrial servers to ensure local storage security for factory automation data.

4. Consumer Electronics: "Connection and Control Core" for End Devices

Covering smartphones, tablets, SSDs, and IoT devices, with high integration and low power consumption as core advantages:

• Wireless Connection Chips: The 88W Series is the mainstay (e.g., 88W8997 supports Wi-Fi 5 + BT 5.0 + GNSS, used in Apple iPad Pro 2021 and Tesla Model 3 in-vehicle infotainment systems; 88W8887 is used in Wi-Fi modules for Xiaomi TV ES Series).
• SSD Controllers:
  • Consumer-grade SATA Controllers: 88SS1074 supports SATA 6G and features TRIM/NCQ, used in Samsung 870 EVO SATA SSDs.
  • Consumer-grade NVMe Controllers: 88SS1322 supports PCIe 3.0 x4, used in Kingston KC3000 NVMe SSDs.
• Microcontrollers: The Arm Cortex-M-based 88MZ100 is used in smart door locks and smart home sensors, with a standby current as low as 5μA.

II. In-depth Analysis of Marvell Part Numbers: Letter Prefixes Are the "Key Code"

Nearly all Marvell part numbers start with 88, followed by 1-2 letters that directly determine the product category. The numerical part represents the specific model, and the suffix distinguishes details such as packaging and temperature grade. Below is a complete interpretation of 14 core prefixes:

1. 88EXXXX: Full-Scenario Ethernet Products (Most Mainstream Prefix)

• Letter Meaning: E = Ethernet
• Covered Products: Ethernet PHYs, switch chips, controllers
• Typical Cases:
  • 88E1111: Classic 1G copper PHY, used in enterprise switches and routers.
  • 88E2110: Multi-Gig PHY (10G/5G/2.5G/1G/100M), compatible with Wi-Fi 6 AP backhaul.
  • 88E6393X: Enterprise-grade managed switch chip, supporting 24 x 1G ports.
  • 88E1512: 1G automotive PHY, compliant with AEC-Q100 standards, used in in-vehicle infotainment systems.

2. 88FXXXX: Flash/Storage Controllers (Older Models)

• Letter Meaning: F = Flash
• Covered Products: NAND Flash controllers, SoCs with storage functions
• Typical Cases:
  • 88F6281: Arm-based SoC integrated with SATA/NAND controller, used in early Network-Attached Storage (NAS).
  • 88F6781: Upgraded SoC supporting larger-capacity NAND, used in Synology entry-level NAS.

3. 88SXXXX / 88SEXXXX: SATA/SAS Storage Controllers

• Letter Meaning: S = Storage; SE = Storage Engine
• Covered Products: SATA/SAS RAID/HBA controllers, bridge chips
• Typical Cases:
  • 88SE9230: SATA 6G RAID controller, used in PCs and entry-level servers.
  • 88SE9485: 12G SAS/SATA RAID controller, supporting 24 hard drives, used in enterprise servers.
  • 88SE9235: SATA port multiplier, enabling 1 SATA port to expand to 4 devices.

4. 88NVXXXX: NVMe SSD Controllers (Exclusive to NVMe)

• Letter Meaning: NV = NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express)
• Covered Products: Consumer-grade/enterprise-grade NVMe SSD controllers
• Typical Cases:
  • 88NV1120: Entry-level NVMe controller supporting PCIe 3.0 x2, used in low-end NVMe SSDs.
  • 88NV1370: High-end enterprise-grade NVMe controller supporting PCIe 4.0 x4, used in data center SSDs.

5. 88SSXXXX: Universal SSD Controllers (SATA/NVMe)

• Letter Meaning: SS = Solid-State Storage
• Covered Products: SATA SSD controllers, NVMe SSD controllers
• Typical Cases:
  • 88SS1074: SATA 6G controller, used in consumer-grade SATA SSDs.
  • 88SS1098: NVMe controller supporting PCIe 3.0 x4, used in mid-range NVMe SSDs.
  • 88SS1322: High-performance NVMe controller supporting PCIe 4.0 x4, used in flagship consumer NVMe SSDs.

6. 88WXXXX: Wireless Connection Chips (Wi-Fi/BT/GNSS)

• Letter Meaning: W = Wireless
• Covered Products: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (BT), Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) combo chips
• Typical Cases:
  • 88W8787: Wi-Fi 4 + BT 4.0, used in entry-level IoT devices.
  • 88W8987: Wi-Fi 5 + BT 5.0 + GNSS, used in in-vehicle navigation and high-end tablets.
  • 88W8997: Wi-Fi 5 + BT 5.0 + GNSS, used in high-end devices from Tesla and Apple.
  • 88W9098: Wi-Fi 6 + BT 5.1, used in enterprise-grade Wi-Fi APs.

7. 88QXXXX: Exclusive Automotive Ethernet Products

• Letter Meaning: Q = Automotive Quality
• Covered Products: Automotive Ethernet switches, automotive PHYs
• Typical Cases:
  • 88Q5050: 5-port automotive Ethernet switch, used in economy new energy vehicles.
  • 88Q5072: 8-port automotive switch supporting TSN, used in mid-to-high-end intelligent vehicles.
  • 88Q2112: 1G automotive PHY (1000BASE-T1), used in autonomous driving domain controllers.

8. 88LX/88CX/88EX/88MX: Arm-based Processors/SoCs

• Letter Meaning: L (Low Power), C (Communications), E (Enterprise), M (Microcontroller)
• Covered Products: Communication processors, application processors, microcontrollers
• Typical Cases:
  • 88F8040 (Armada 8040): Enterprise-grade communication processor, used in routers and firewalls.
  • 88MZ100: Cortex-M3 microcontroller, used in smart home sensors.
  • 88CX5050: High-end DPU processor, used in data center storage servers.

9. 88PXXXX: Older/Specific PHY Chips

• Letter Meaning: P = PHY (Physical Layer Transceiver)
• Covered Products: Older SerDes PHYs, specific-interface PHYs (gradually replaced by the 88E Series)
• Typical Case: 88P2110: Older 1G SerDes PHY, used in industrial Ethernet devices.

10. 88ZXXXX: Security Chips/TPMs

• Letter Meaning: Z = Security
• Covered Products: Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs), hardware encryption chips
• Typical Case: 88Z105: TPM 2.0 chip, used for trusted boot in servers and laptops.

11. 88iXXXX: Video/Image Processors

• Letter Meaning: i = Image/Interface
• Covered Products: Video codecs, image converters (relatively niche)
• Typical Case: 88i9126: Video decoder, used in early set-top boxes and surveillance DVRs.

12. 88SNXXXX: PCIe/NVMe Switch Chips/Bridges

• Letter Meaning: SN = Switch/NVMe
• Covered Products: PCIe switches, NVMe bridge chips
• Typical Case: 88SN2400: PCIe Gen3 x24 switch supporting NVMe-oF, used in all-flash arrays.

13. 88AXXXX: Analog Chips/Older Products

• Letter Meaning: A = Analog
• Covered Products: Older analog chips (e.g., power management ICs), rarely used today
• Typical Case: 88A1000: Older linear regulator, used in consumer electronic devices.

14. 88XYYYY: Flexible Prefix (X as a Variable)

• Feature: X can be replaced with letters like E, W, or Q; the numerical part YYYY is the core model identifier. Common in universal naming across multiple series.
• Typical Cases: 88X3310 (i.e., 88E3310, Multi-Gig PHY), 88X7120 (i.e., 88E7120, 25G PHY).

III. Notes on Part Number Interpretation: Suffix Details Determine "Application Compatibility"

The 1-2 letter/digit suffixes at the end of part numbers do not affect the product category but directly determine practical application compatibility. The core meanings of suffixes are as follows:

1. Packaging Type:
   • -Bxx: BGA package (e.g., 88E1111-B01G, where B01 is the BGA package code).
   • -Txx: TQFP package (e.g., 88SS1074-T10, where T10 is a 100-pin TQFP).
   • -Qxx: QFN package (e.g., 88Q2112-Q10P, where Q10 is a 48-pin QFN).
2. Temperature Range:
   • -C: Commercial grade (0°C to +70°C, e.g., 88E1111-C01, used in consumer electronics).
   • -I: Industrial grade (-40°C to +85°C, e.g., 88E2110-I00, used in industrial switches).
   • -A: Automotive grade (-40°C to +105/125°C, e.g., 88Q2112-A10, used in in-vehicle devices).
3. Function/Version:
   • -R: Reduced-function version (e.g., 88SE9230-R10, with simplified RAID functions).
   • -B1/B0: Version number (B1 is an upgraded version, fixing bugs in earlier versions).
4. Environmental Compliance:
   • -L/-N: Lead-free packaging (compliant with RoHS standards, e.g., 88W8997-L10).

Important Reminder: Some acquired product lines (e.g., Cavium’s Octeon Series) do not follow the "88-start" rule and use CNxxxx models (e.g., CN96xx DPU). Always refer to official datasheets for confirmation.

ICgoodFind Perspective

ICgoodFind has deep roots in the Marvell chip supply chain, covering popular part numbers such as the 88E Series PHYs, 88NV/88SS Series SSD Controllers, and 88Q Series Automotive Chips. We provide spot supply and customized BOM kitting services. Leveraging our cooperative resources with Marvell, we offer technical selection consulting for customers in data centers, automotive electronics, and consumer electronics, helping them quickly match models to application scenarios and ensuring supply chain stability and delivery efficiency.