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Fair Value of Financial Assets and Liabilities - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2014
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]        
The rate used for the discount margin to determine the estimated fair value of investment in auction rate securities 1.00%emc_FinancialInstrumentsFairValueAssumptionsWeightedAverageDiscountRate      
Short-term investments $ 2,062us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments     $ 1,978us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments
Foreign debt securities        
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]        
Available-for-sale Securities 2,668us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_ForeignDebtSecuritiesMember
    2,564us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_ForeignDebtSecuritiesMember
Average credit rating A+      
Foreign Sovereign Debt Securities        
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]        
Average credit rating AA+      
Percentage of securities 3.00%emc_PercentageOfAvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_ForeignSovereignDebtSecuritiesMember
     
Auction rate securities        
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]        
Available-for-sale Securities 27us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember
    27us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember
Average credit rating AA      
Change in fair value of level 3 investment no material changes no material changes    
Number of auction rate securities 1emc_NumberOfAuctionRateSecuritiesWithUnderlyingLoansWhichHaveNoGuarantees
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember
     
Auction rate securities that have partial guarantees by the U.S. government, market value 7emc_AuctionRateSecuritiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember
     
Percentage of loans guaranteed 95.00%emc_PercentageOfLoansGuaranteed
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember
     
Coupon rate used to estimate fair value of investments - Start Range 0.00%emc_InvestmentInterestRateRangeStart1
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember
     
Coupon rate used to estimate fair value of investments - End Range 3.00%emc_InvestmentInterestRateRangeEnd1
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember
     
Discount rate used to estimate fair value of investments 1.00%us-gaap_FairValueInputsDiscountRate
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember
     
The rate used for the discount margin to determine the estimated fair value of investment in auction rate securities       1.00%emc_FinancialInstrumentsFairValueAssumptionsWeightedAverageDiscountRate
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember
Fair value input, discounted cash flow, term 5 years      
Variable Rate Demand Note        
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]        
Short-term investments $ 25us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_VariableRateDemandNoteMember
     
LenovoEMC [Member]        
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]        
Change in fair value of level 3 investment no material changes no material changes    
Discount rate used to estimate fair value of investments     6.00%us-gaap_FairValueInputsDiscountRate
/ emc_JointVentureInvesteeNameAxis
= emc_LenovoemcMember
 
Ownership percentage, joint venture 49.00%emc_JointVentureOwnershipInterestPercentage
/ emc_JointVentureInvesteeNameAxis
= emc_LenovoemcMember
     
Fair value input, discounted cash flow, term     3 years