Product Warranties - Product Warranty Activity (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Guarantees [Abstract]
Balance at the beginning of the period	$ 585	$ 204	$ 283
Accruals for warranties for products sold in the period	358	715	281
Fulfillment of warranty obligations	(527)	(334)	(350)
Revisions of estimated obligations	(202)		(10)
Balance at the end of the period	$ 214	$ 585	$ 204

No definition available.

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Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

Amount as of the balance sheet date of the aggregate standard product warranty liability. Does not include the balance for the extended product warranty liability.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (c)(1),(c)(5)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68068213&loc=d3e12565-110249

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StandardProductWarrantyAccrual
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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of decrease in the standard product warranty accrual from payments made in cash or in kind to satisfy claims under the terms of the standard product warranty. Excludes extended product warranties.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph ((c)(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68068213&loc=d3e12565-110249

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of increase in the standard product warranty accrual from warranties issued. Excludes extended product warranties.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph ((c)(3))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68068213&loc=d3e12565-110249

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
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- Definition

Revisions of estimated obligations.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	vicr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration