Commitments and Contingencies	3 Months Ended
Apr. 29, 2018
Notes to financial statements [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	Commitments and Contingencies Litigation Polaris Innovations Limited On May 16, 2016, Polaris Innovations Limited, or Polaris, a non-practicing entity and wholly-owned subsidiary of Quarterhill Inc. (formerly WiLAN Inc.), filed a complaint against NVIDIA for patent infringement in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas. Polaris alleges that NVIDIA has infringed and is continuing to infringe six U.S. patents relating to the control of dynamic random-access memory, or DRAM: 6,532,505; 7,124,325; 7,405,993; 7,886,122; 8,161,344; and 8,207,976. The complaint seeks unspecified monetary damages, enhanced damages, interest, fees, expenses, and costs against NVIDIA. On September 14, 2016, NVIDIA answered the Polaris Complaint and asserted various defenses including non-infringement and invalidity of the six Polaris patents. On December 5, 2016, the Texas Court granted NVIDIA’s motion to transfer and ordered the case transferred to the Northern District of California. Between December 7, 2016 and July 25, 2017, NVIDIA filed multiple petitions for inter partes review, or IPR, at the United States Patent and Trademark Office, or USPTO, challenging the validity of each of the patents asserted by Polaris in the U.S. litigation. The USPTO instituted IPRs for U.S. Patent Nos. 6,532,505; 7,405,993; 7,886,122; and 8,161,344. The USPTO declined to institute IPRs on U.S. Patent Nos. 7,124,325 and 8,207,976. On June 15, 2017, the California Court granted NVIDIA’s motion to stay the district court litigation pending resolution of the petitions for IPR. The California Court has not set a trial date. On December 30, 2016, Polaris filed a complaint against NVIDIA for patent infringement in the Regional Court of Düsseldorf, Germany. Polaris alleges that NVIDIA has infringed and is continuing to infringe three patents relating to control of DRAM: European Patent No. EP1428225, and German Patent Nos. DE 10223167 and DE 1020066043668. On July 14, 2017, NVIDIA filed defenses to the infringement allegations including non-infringement with respect to each of the three asserted patents. An oral hearing is scheduled for February 21, 2019. Between March 31, 2017 and June 12, 2017, NVIDIA filed nullity actions with the German Patent Court challenging the validity of each of the patents asserted by Polaris in the German litigation. ZiiLabs 1 Patents Lawsuit On October 2, 2017, ZiiLabs Inc., Ltd., or ZiiLabs, a non-practicing entity, filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware alleging that NVIDIA has infringed and is continuing to infringe four U.S. patents relating to GPUs: 6,683,615; 7,050,061; 7,710,425; and 9,098,943, or the ZiiLabs 1 Patents. ZiiLabs is a Bermuda corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Creative Technology Asia Limited, a Hong Kong company which is itself is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Creative Technology Ltd. a publicly traded Singapore company. The complaint seeks unspecified monetary damages, enhanced damages, interest, costs, and fees against NVIDIA and an injunction against further direct or direct infringement of the ZiiLabs 1 Patents. On November 27, 2017, NVIDIA answered the ZiiLabs complaint and asserted various defenses including non-infringement and invalidity of the ZiiLabs 1 Patents. On January 10, 2018, ZiiLabs filed a first amended complaint asserting infringement of a fifth U.S. Patent No. 6,977,649. On February 22, 2018, the Delaware Court stayed the ZiiLabs 1 case pending the resolution of the ITC investigation over the ZiiLabs 2 patents. ZiiLabs 2 Patents Lawsuits On December 27, 2017, ZiiLabs filed a second complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware alleging that NVIDIA has infringed four additional U.S. Patents: 6,181,355; 6,900,800; 8,144,156; and 8,643,659, or the ZiiLabs 2 Patents. The second complaint also seeks unspecified monetary damages, enhanced damages, interest, costs, and fees against NVIDIA and an injunction against further direct or direct infringement of the ZiiLabs 2 Patents. On February 22, 2018, the Delaware Court stayed the district court action on the ZiiLabs 2 patents pending the resolution of the ITC Investigation over the ZiiLabs 2 patents. On December 29, 2017, ZiiLabs filed a request with the U.S. International Trade Commission, or USITC, to commence an Investigation pursuant to Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 relating to the unlawful importation of certain graphics processors and products containing the same. ZiiLabs alleges that the unlawful importation results from the infringement of the ZiiLabs 2 Patents by products from respondents NVIDIA, ASUSTeK Computer Inc., ASUS Computer International, EVGA Corporation, Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd., G.B.T. Inc., Micro-Star International Co., Ltd., MSI Computer Corp., Nintendo Co., Ltd., Nintendo of America Inc., PNY Technologies Inc., Zotac International (MCO) Ltd., and Zotac USA Inc. On February 28, 2018, NVIDIA and the other respondents answered the ITC complaint and asserted various defenses including non-infringement and invalidity of the four asserted ZiiLabs 2 patents. Accounting for Loss Contingencies While there can be no assurance of favorable outcomes, we believe the claims made by the other parties in the above ongoing matters are without merit and we intend to vigorously defend the actions. As of April 29, 2018, we have not recorded any accrual for contingent liabilities associated with the legal proceedings described above based on our belief that liabilities, while possible, are not probable. Further, any possible loss or range of loss in these matters cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. We are engaged in other legal actions not described above arising in the ordinary course of its business and, while there can be no assurance of favorable outcomes, we believe that the ultimate outcome of these actions will not have a material adverse effect on our operating results, liquidity or financial position.

Commitments and Contingencies

Litigation

Polaris Innovations Limited

On May 16, 2016, Polaris Innovations Limited, or Polaris, a non-practicing entity and wholly-owned subsidiary of Quarterhill Inc. (formerly WiLAN Inc.), filed a complaint against NVIDIA for patent infringement in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas. Polaris alleges that NVIDIA has infringed and is continuing to infringe six U.S. patents relating to the control of dynamic random-access memory, or DRAM: 6,532,505; 7,124,325; 7,405,993; 7,886,122; 8,161,344; and 8,207,976. The complaint seeks unspecified monetary damages, enhanced damages, interest, fees, expenses, and costs against NVIDIA. On September 14, 2016, NVIDIA answered the Polaris Complaint and asserted various defenses including non-infringement and invalidity of the six Polaris patents.

On December 5, 2016, the Texas Court granted NVIDIA’s motion to transfer and ordered the case transferred to the Northern District of California.

Between December 7, 2016 and July 25, 2017, NVIDIA filed multiple petitions for inter partes review, or IPR, at the United States Patent and Trademark Office, or USPTO, challenging the validity of each of the patents asserted by Polaris in the U.S. litigation. The USPTO instituted IPRs for U.S. Patent Nos. 6,532,505; 7,405,993; 7,886,122; and 8,161,344. The USPTO declined to institute IPRs on U.S. Patent Nos. 7,124,325 and 8,207,976.

On June 15, 2017, the California Court granted NVIDIA’s motion to stay the district court litigation pending resolution of the petitions for IPR. The California Court has not set a trial date.

On December 30, 2016, Polaris filed a complaint against NVIDIA for patent infringement in the Regional Court of Düsseldorf, Germany. Polaris alleges that NVIDIA has infringed and is continuing to infringe three patents relating to control of DRAM: European Patent No. EP1428225, and German Patent Nos. DE 10223167 and DE 1020066043668. On July 14, 2017, NVIDIA filed defenses to the infringement allegations including non-infringement with respect to each of the three asserted patents.

An oral hearing is scheduled for February 21, 2019.

Between March 31, 2017 and June 12, 2017, NVIDIA filed nullity actions with the German Patent Court challenging the validity of each of the patents asserted by Polaris in the German litigation.

ZiiLabs 1 Patents Lawsuit

On October 2, 2017, ZiiLabs Inc., Ltd., or ZiiLabs, a non-practicing entity, filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware alleging that NVIDIA has infringed and is continuing to infringe four U.S. patents relating to GPUs: 6,683,615; 7,050,061; 7,710,425; and 9,098,943, or the ZiiLabs 1 Patents. ZiiLabs is a Bermuda corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Creative Technology Asia Limited, a Hong Kong company which is itself is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Creative Technology Ltd. a publicly traded Singapore company. The complaint seeks unspecified monetary damages, enhanced damages, interest, costs, and fees against NVIDIA and an injunction against further direct or direct infringement of the ZiiLabs 1 Patents. On November 27, 2017, NVIDIA answered the ZiiLabs complaint and asserted various defenses including non-infringement and invalidity of the ZiiLabs 1 Patents.

On January 10, 2018, ZiiLabs filed a first amended complaint asserting infringement of a fifth U.S. Patent No. 6,977,649.

On February 22, 2018, the Delaware Court stayed the ZiiLabs 1 case pending the resolution of the ITC investigation over the ZiiLabs 2 patents.

ZiiLabs 2 Patents Lawsuits

On December 27, 2017, ZiiLabs filed a second complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware alleging that NVIDIA has infringed four additional U.S. Patents: 6,181,355; 6,900,800; 8,144,156; and 8,643,659, or the ZiiLabs 2 Patents. The second complaint also seeks unspecified monetary damages, enhanced damages, interest, costs, and fees against NVIDIA and an injunction against further direct or direct infringement of the ZiiLabs 2 Patents.

On February 22, 2018, the Delaware Court stayed the district court action on the ZiiLabs 2 patents pending the resolution of the ITC Investigation over the ZiiLabs 2 patents.

On December 29, 2017, ZiiLabs filed a request with the U.S. International Trade Commission, or USITC, to commence an Investigation pursuant to Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 relating to the unlawful importation of certain graphics processors and products containing the same. ZiiLabs alleges that the unlawful importation results from the infringement of the ZiiLabs 2 Patents by products from respondents NVIDIA, ASUSTeK Computer Inc., ASUS Computer International, EVGA Corporation, Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd., G.B.T. Inc., Micro-Star International Co., Ltd., MSI Computer Corp., Nintendo Co., Ltd., Nintendo of America Inc., PNY Technologies Inc., Zotac International (MCO) Ltd., and Zotac USA Inc.

On February 28, 2018, NVIDIA and the other respondents answered the ITC complaint and asserted various defenses including non-infringement and invalidity of the four asserted ZiiLabs 2 patents.

Accounting for Loss Contingencies

While there can be no assurance of favorable outcomes, we believe the claims made by the other parties in the above ongoing matters are without merit and we intend to vigorously defend the actions. As of April 29, 2018, we have not recorded any accrual for contingent liabilities associated with the legal proceedings described above based on our belief that liabilities, while possible, are not probable. Further, any possible loss or range of loss in these matters cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. We are engaged in other legal actions not described above arising in the ordinary course of its business and, while there can be no assurance of favorable outcomes, we believe that the ultimate outcome of these actions will not have a material adverse effect on our operating results, liquidity or financial position.