<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-12</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000050863</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>INTEL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>INTC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001188921</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BARRETT CRAIG R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>INTEL CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2200 MISSION COLLEGE BLVD.</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SANTA CLARA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95052</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>COMMON</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-12</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>90000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3154432</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>COMMON</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3020</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>BY EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN TRUST.</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Not a required reportable field.  New SEC software requires a dollar amount; use zero per SEC.</footnote></footnotes><remarks>Dr. Barrett holds 5,842,696 options with the right to buy Intel Corporation common stock.</remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>CRAIG R. BARRETT</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-12</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

