Balance Sheet Components (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 27, 2013		Jan. 29, 2012		Jan. 30, 2011
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciation	$ 158,000,000		$ 145,000,000		$ 157,000,000
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	1,288,782,000		1,156,528,000
Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment	(712,638,000)		(596,456,000)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	576,144,000		560,072,000
Inventories
Raw Materials	164,324,000		84,927,000
Work in-process	67,628,000		62,934,000
Finished goods	187,734,000		192,436,000
Total inventories	419,686,000		340,297,000
Prepaid Expenses and Other Current assets:
Prepaid maintenance	18,013,000		12,965,000
Prepaid insurance	3,729,000		3,502,000
Prepaid taxes	9,785,000		10,069,000
Prepaid rent	2,909,000		3,410,000
Other	35,265,000		19,465,000
Total prepaid expenses and other	69,701,000		49,411,000
Accrued Liabilities
Deferred revenue	273,605,000		270,649,000
Accrued customer programs	163,406,000	[1]	143,972,000	[1]
Warranty accrual	14,874,000	[2]	18,406,000	[2]
Accrued payroll and related expenses	98,977,000		88,879,000
Accrued legal settlement	30,600,000	[3]	30,600,000	[3]
Taxes payable, short term	3,173,000		6,941,000
Other	35,160,000		35,439,000
Total accrued liabilities and other	619,795,000		594,886,000
Other Long-term Liabilities
Deferred income tax liability	192,950,000		133,288,000
Income taxes payable, long term	115,267,000		63,007,000
Asset retirement obligation	10,165,000		10,199,000
Deferred Revenue	236,152,000	[4]	200,370,000	[4]
Liabilites other noncurrent	34,787,000		48,943,000
Total other long-term liabilities	589,321,000		455,807,000
Other Assets [Abstract]
Prepaid Taxes Long Term	64,966,000	[5]	68,805,000	[5]
Prepaid maintenance long term	10,241,000		15,175,000
Deposits Assets, Noncurrent	10,674,000		8,027,000
Cost Method Investments	10,030,000		10,382,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	3,527,000		7,459,000
Other Assets	8,043,000		10,484,000
Other assets	107,481,000		120,332,000
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]	218,496,000	[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		30,869,000
Machinery and Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	3-5
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	349,530,000		299,506,000
Software [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	3-5
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	245,734,000		211,339,000
Leasehold Improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	(B)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	159,413,000	[7]	143,986,000	[7]
Computer Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	3
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	174,712,000		168,455,000
Furniture and Fixtures [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	5
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	58,712,000		45,521,000
Capital Lease Obligations [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	(B)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	27,231,000	[7]	27,264,000	[7]
Construction in Progress [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	(C)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	$ 24,085,000	[8]	$ 11,092,000	[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 12 of these Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for discussion regarding the warranty accrual.

[3] Please refer to Note 13 of these Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for discussion regarding the 3dfx litigation.

[4] Please refer to Note 3 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] Land 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.