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Cash, Cash Equivalents and Investments (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Oct. 26, 2014
Oct. 27, 2013
Oct. 28, 2012
Marketable securities [Member]      
Schedule of Investment Income, Reported Amounts, by Category [Line Items]      
Impairments of investments $ 0us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= amat_PubliclyTradedEquitySecuritiesMember
$ 0us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= amat_PubliclyTradedEquitySecuritiesMember
$ 0us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= amat_PubliclyTradedEquitySecuritiesMember
Equity investments in privately-held companies [Member]      
Schedule of Investment Income, Reported Amounts, by Category [Line Items]      
Impairments of investments $ 15,000,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= amat_EquityInvestmentsInPrivatelyHeldCompaniesMember
$ 6,000,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= amat_EquityInvestmentsInPrivatelyHeldCompaniesMember
$ 17,000,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= amat_EquityInvestmentsInPrivatelyHeldCompaniesMember