Income Taxes Income Taxes (Unrecognized Tax Benefits) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Jan. 25, 2015	Jan. 26, 2014	Jan. 27, 2013	Jan. 30, 2011
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Unrecognized Tax Benefits that Would Impact Effective Tax Rate	$ 228,700,000
Reduction of deferred tax asset included in unrecognized tax benefit	122,100,000
Income Tax Reconciliation, Tax Contingencies [Abstract]
Balance at beginning of period	237,738,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	220,543,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits		138,262,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Increases in tax positions for prior years	0	0	18,800,000
Decreases in tax positions for prior years	(871,000)	(714,000)	(304,000)
Increases in tax positions for current year	22,865,000	22,787,000	67,764,000
Lapse in statute of limitations	(5,997,000)	(4,878,000)	(3,979,000)
Balance at end of period	253,735,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	237,738,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	220,543,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	138,262,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Accrued [Abstract]
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Accrued	14,400,000	12,900,000	11,300,000
Accrued Income Taxes, Noncurrent	120,961,000us-gaap_AccruedIncomeTaxesNoncurrent	119,977,000us-gaap_AccruedIncomeTaxesNoncurrent
Unrecognized tax benefit (non current)	106,600,000nvda_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitNonCurrent
State and Local Jurisdiction
Income Tax Reconciliation, Tax Contingencies [Abstract]
Balance at end of period	$ 45,300,000

Reduction of deferred tax asset included in unrecognized tax benefit

No definition available.

Name:	nvda_ReductionOfDeferredTaxAssetIncludedInUnrecognizedTaxBenefit
Namespace Prefix:	nvda_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The gross amount of unrecognized tax benefits (tax reductions recognized in financial reports but excluded from tax returns) pertaining to uncertain tax positions taken in tax returns as of the beginning balance sheet date, not expected to be settled within one year or a current operating cycle.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nvda_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitNonCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	nvda_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of the unpaid sum of the known and estimated amounts payable to satisfy all domestic and foreign income tax obligations due beyond one year or the operating cycle, whichever is longer. Alternate captions include income taxes payable, noncurrent.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.24)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 24

-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 15

-Article 9

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 15

-Subparagraph b(1)

-Article 7

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccruedIncomeTaxesNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxContingencyLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxContingenciesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of unrecognized tax benefits pertaining to uncertain tax positions taken in tax returns.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Unrecognized Tax Benefit

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6527854

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15A

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions taken in prior period tax returns.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15A

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount accrued for interest on an underpayment of income taxes and penalties related to a tax position claimed or expected to be claimed in the tax return.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32718-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccruedAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions that have been or will be taken in current period tax return.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15A

-Subparagraph (a)(2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions taken in prior period tax returns.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from lapses of applicable statutes of limitations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15A

-Subparagraph (a)(4)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReductionsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15A

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis=us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: