Balance Sheet Components (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 29, 2012		Jan. 30, 2011		Jan. 31, 2010
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciation	$ 145,000,000		$ 157,000,000		$ 165,000,000
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	1,156,528,000		1,193,939,000
Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment	(596,456,000)		(625,082,000)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	560,072,000		568,857,000
Inventories
Raw Materials	84,927,000		67,880,000
Work in-process	62,934,000		72,698,000
Finished goods	192,436,000		204,947,000
Total inventories	340,297,000		345,525,000
Prepaid Expenses and Other Current assets:
Prepaid maintenance	12,965,000		12,165,000
Prepaid insurance	3,502,000		3,512,000
Prepaid taxes	10,069,000		1,364,000
Prepaid rent	3,410,000		3,599,000
Other	19,465,000		11,996,000
Total prepaid expenses and other	49,411,000		32,636,000
Accrued Liabilities
Deferred revenue	270,649,000		245,596,000
Accrued customer programs (1)	143,972,000	[1]	171,163,000	[1]
Warranty accrual (2)	18,406,000	[2]	107,896,000	[2]
Accrued payroll and related expenses	88,879,000		71,915,000
Accrued legal settlement (3)	30,600,000	[3]	30,600,000	[3]
Taxes payable, short term	6,941,000		4,576,000
Other	35,439,000		24,798,000
Total accrued liabilities and other	594,886,000		656,544,000
Other Long-term Liabilities
Deferred income tax liability	133,288,000		46,129,000
Income taxes payable, long term	63,007,000		57,590,000
Asset retirement obligation	10,199,000		9,694,000
Deferred Revenue	200,370,000	[4]	163,000,000	[4]
Liabilites other noncurrent	48,943,000		71,300,000
Total other long-term liabilities	455,807,000		347,713,000
Other Assets [Abstract]
Prepaid Taxes Long Term	68,805,000	[5]	0	[5]
Prepaid maintenance long term	15,175,000		21,239,000
Deposits Assets, Noncurrent	8,027,000		7,003,000
Cost Method Investments	10,382,000		8,792,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	7,459,000		851,000
Other Assets	10,484,000		2,965,000
Other assets	120,332,000		40,850,000
Land [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	(A)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	218,496,000	[6]	217,372,000	[6]
Building [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	3-25
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	30,869,000		29,326,000
Machinery and Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	3-5
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	299,506,000		293,807,000
Software [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	3-5
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	211,339,000		306,699,000
Leasehold Improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	(B)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	143,986,000	[7]	146,508,000	[7]
Computer Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	3
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	168,455,000		132,896,000
Furniture and Fixtures [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	5
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	45,521,000		36,239,000
Capital Lease Obligations [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	(B)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	27,264,000	[7]	26,618,000	[7]
Construction in Progress [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	(C)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	$ 11,092,000	[8]	$ 4,474,000	[8]

[1] Please refer to Note 1 of these Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for discussion regarding the nature of accrued customer programs and their accounting treatment related to our revenue recognition policies and estimates.

[2] Please refer to Note 13 of these Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for discussion regarding the warranty accrual.

[3] Please refer to Note 14 of these Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for discussion regarding the 3dfx litigation.

[4] Please refer to Note 4 of these Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for discussion regarding our revenue recognition under this agreement.

[5] Represents long-term prepaid taxes related to inter-company transactions that are deferred for accounting purposes and amortized over eight years.

[6] and is a non-depreciable asset.

[7] Leasehold improvements and capital leases are amortized based on the lesser of either the asset’s estimated useful life or the remaining lease term

[8] Construction in process represents assets that are not in service as of the balance sheet date.