Financial Services, Financing Receivables by Credit Quality Indicator (Details 4) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	May 04, 2012	Feb. 03, 2012
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable
Customer receivables, gross	$ 4,371	$ 4,539
Revolving Loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable
Customer receivables, gross	1,956	2,096
Fixed-term loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable
Customer receivables, gross	2,415	2,443
Dell Preferred Account (DPA) | Owned since inception | Revolving Loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable
Best	199	220
Good	387	412
Mixed	776	814
Customer receivables, gross	1,362	1,446
Dell Preferred Account (DPA) | Purchased | Revolving Loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable
Best	24	28
Good	71	80
Mixed	195	229
Customer receivables, gross	290	337
Non-Commercial | Owned since inception | Fixed-term loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable
Best	2	2
Good	19	14
Mixed	17	14
Customer receivables, gross	38	30
Non-Commercial | Purchased | Fixed-term loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable
Best	4	4
Good	29	32
Mixed	26	31
Customer receivables, gross	59	67
Dell Business Credit (DBC) | Revolving Loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable
Best	105	111
Good	95	98
Mixed	104	104
Customer receivables, gross	304	313
Small Commercial | Fixed-term loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable
Best	95	91
Good	73	74
Mixed	96	85
Customer receivables, gross	264	250
Medium & Large Commerical | Fixed-term loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable
Best	1,430	1,504
Good	396	363
Mixed	228	229
Customer receivables, gross	$ 2,054	$ 2,096