Keysight MXR-Series Mixed Signal Oscilloscope from Keysight Technologies - classic bench workhorse for complex debug
05.07.2026 - 02:46:21 | ad-hoc-news.de
By Catherine Berg, ad hoc news Classics & Longsellers Desk. Reviewed July 05, 2026, 12:45 AM ET. Details in the imprint.
Keysight MXR-Series Mixed Signal Oscilloscope sits on the bench with a quiet fan hum, its bright touchscreen pulling up eight traces in neon colors as an engineer taps through menus with a gloved finger. In many US labs, this MXR box is the default tool for sorting out messy embedded systems.
What the MXR-series is built to do
Keysight positions the MXR-Series as a mixed signal oscilloscope that combines up to 8 analog channels with 16 digital channels and protocol decode for embedded and power electronics debug. On Keysight’s own product page, the MXR family is described as an integrated scope that adds logic analysis and application-specific software to a traditional oscilloscope platform, aiming squarely at teams that need to see analog, digital and serial protocol behavior in one place on the bench, not scattered across three instruments. Keysight MXR-Series product details
Walk into a typical US development lab at an automotive supplier or a power electronics startup and you’ll often see a mid-range MXR unit, such as the 4-channel 1 GHz model, parked next to a stack of power supplies and an ECU mockup. Engineers use it to capture fast transients on power rails while simultaneously monitoring CAN FD or automotive Ethernet links, thanks to the optional protocol decode apps. Keysight references use cases in automotive, industrial power, and embedded systems, with bandwidth configurations typically ranging from 500 MHz up to 2 GHz and memory depth that can reach hundreds of Mpoints per channel depending on the configuration, giving room for long acquisitions and detail on timing relationships. MXR-Series data sheet
Keysight MXR-Series and Keysight Technologies stock
For more on Keysight Technologies’ instrumentation portfolio and how the MXR-Series fits into the broader test and measurement story, explore our ticker-specific topic section and the company’s investor information.
Specs, software options and pricing in the US
The MXR-Series family includes multiple models differentiated by bandwidth, channel count and memory depth. Keysight lists configurations from 4 to 8 analog channels, with bandwidth points at 500 MHz, 1 GHz and 2 GHz, plus 16 digital channels when the logic analysis feature is activated. For example, the MXR2xx0-series units can provide up to 16 digital channels on top of the analog channels and offer flexible sample rates, making them suitable for mixed-signal designs where microcontroller GPIO, serial buses and analog sensors must be observed together. Keysight mixed signal oscilloscope overview
On the software side, Keysight sells a catalog of application licenses layered on top of the base MXR hardware. These options include protocol decode for CAN, CAN FD, LIN, FlexRay, I2C, SPI, UART, and automotive Ethernet, along with specialized analysis packages for power electronics, jitter, eye diagram and EMC pre-compliance. Many US customers buy an MXR configuration with a specific bundle aimed at automotive or power applications, and Keysight documentation highlights that these software options can be added later via license keys, which is a recurring revenue stream for the company as labs expand their test capabilities. Automotive Ethernet test solutions
How engineers actually use MXR in the lab
Talk to an embedded engineer like Maria Lopez at a mid-sized EV components maker in Michigan, and she’ll describe a typical MXR session as “bring up the board, fire a firmware update, watch the power rails, and decode the CAN messages all at once.” The MXR’s user interface, based on a large touchscreen with familiar pinch-and-zoom gestures, lets her quickly rearrange traces, turn on measurements, and save setups to USB. Standing at the bench, you notice the scope’s display stays readable even under harsh overhead LED lighting, and the matte finish keeps glare manageable.
Another real-world MXR routine involves troubleshooting intermittent faults. In a US power electronics lab, an engineer might set up segmented memory to capture rare events on a high-voltage gate drive signal while also tracking control bus traffic via SPI. The MXR’s deep memory and trigger flexibility allow them to store many acquisitions and then scrub through them, correlating digital events with analog anomalies. Reviews in trade publications highlight that the MXR’s integration, combining eight analog channels plus logic and protocol analysis, reduces the need for a separate logic analyzer or serial bus analyzer in many mid-range setups, although ultra-high-speed serial work still tends to move to Keysight’s higher-end scopes with more bandwidth and advanced compliance packages. Trade press look at Keysight scope
MXR-series as a classic longseller
From a product lifecycle perspective, the MXR-Series qualifies as a classic longseller for Keysight. It is not the brand-new flagship family; instead it sits in the center of the mixed signal lineup where many volume lab purchases happen. Keysight uses long support cycles and incremental firmware updates to keep MXR systems relevant, adding protocol support and measurements as standards evolve. That justifies its place on a bench even after several years, which matters for US labs amortizing capital equipment over five to ten years.
Keysight’s management regularly points to oscilloscopes and mixed signal instruments as a key part of the Commercial Communications and Aerospace, Defense & Government segments in earnings calls and investor presentations, though they rarely call out individual models. CEO Satish Dhanasekaran has emphasized in interviews that integrated test platforms with upgradeable software, like MXR, support their strategy of combining hardware, software and services into a unified test workflow. For US retail investors, the takeaway is simple: MXR is one of the quiet, workhorse products that underpins Keysight’s recurring relationships with engineering organizations and helps sustain the company’s test and measurement franchise over time. Keysight investor presentation
Company context and stock angle
Keysight Technologies is headquartered in Santa Rosa, California, and positions itself as a broad test and measurement vendor serving communications, electronics, aerospace and automotive markets. The MXR-Series Mixed Signal Oscilloscope sits in the mid-range of its oscilloscope portfolio, below the highest-bandwidth Infiniium families but above entry-level scopes, and forms part of the everyday tooling that keeps customers tied into Keysight’s ecosystem of instruments, software and support.
Keysight Technologies stock (NYSE: KEYS) is one of the larger names in the global test and measurement universe, trading in US dollars with the ISIN US49338L1035. Retail investors looking at KEYS should think of products like the MXR-Series Mixed Signal Oscilloscope as core, steady contributors to instrument revenue, rather than splashy flagship launches, supporting recurring demand from design labs and manufacturing lines over many years.
Keysight MXR-Series Mixed Signal Oscilloscope - key facts
- Product: Keysight MXR-Series Mixed Signal Oscilloscope
- Manufacturer: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
- Category: Classics & longsellers test instrument
- Launch: MXR-Series introduced in the early 2020s as a mid-range mixed signal oscilloscope family
- MSRP / Price: Typical US configurations list from around USD 20,000 and can rise significantly with higher bandwidth and software options, exact pricing depending on channel count, bandwidth and license bundle
- Availability: Available through Keysight’s direct sales and authorized distributors across the US, with common stock models shipped in standard lead times and custom configurations subject to quote
- Target audience: Embedded systems, automotive electronics, industrial power and communications engineers needing multi-channel mixed signal debug on the bench
- Standout / USP: Up to eight analog channels plus 16 digital channels, deep memory and rich protocol decode options in a single touchscreen instrument, making it a classic integrated workhorse in mid-range mixed signal labs
This article was AI-assisted and editorially reviewed. Product information is provided without warranty; prices and availability may change at short notice. Not investment advice and not a buy or sell recommendation. Securities trading carries risks up to total loss.
