San Jose chipmaker Altera unveils new reprogrammable chips aimed at AI and robots
Test versions of the first chips in the Agilex 2X lineup are not expected until the second half of 2027.
Altera, a San Jose chip company, announced a new lineup of chips called Agilex 2X on Oct. 28, aimed at AI data centers, networks, robots and other smart machines.
Altera makes FPGAs, or field-programmable gate arrays. Most chips are fixed when they are made, but an FPGA can be rewired by software after it leaves the factory. That lets companies update products as standards and AI tasks change. Altera says it is the largest company that makes only FPGAs.
The lineup has four families, the company said. They range from powerful chips for data centers and defense systems to small, low-power chips for robots, factory machines and cars. The first family, Agilex 27, does 1.8 times as much work per watt of power as the chips it replaces, Altera said.
Early-access customers can start designing with Agilex 27 in mid-November. Engineering samples, early versions for testing, are expected in the second half of 2027. Altera also released QuartusIQ, an AI assistant that helps engineers design with its chips.
CEO Raghib Hussain said the lineup gives customers "one platform" that scales from the most complex AI systems down to small, low-power devices.
Source: Altera news release, Oct. 28, 2026.