<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-10-29</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000899297</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>OPTI INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>OPTI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001093956</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MGCM CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>3470 KENSBROOK STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LAS VEGAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NV</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>89121</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-10-29</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>200000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>3.65</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1215500</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Notes 1, 2 and 3</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The securities reported as beneficially owned by MGCM Capital Management, LLC, d/b/a/ MG Capital Management, LLC (&quot;MG Capital&quot;), as this Form 4 include securities also beneficially owned by Marco L. Petroni, the controlling person of MG Capital and MGCM Partners, L.P. (&quot;MGCM&quot;), an investment limited partnership of which MG Capital is the general partner and investment adviser (collectively, the &quot;Filers&quot;). These securities are held directly by MGCM for the benefit of its investors and indirectly by MG Capital as MGCM's investment adviser and Mr. Petroni as MG Capital's controlling person.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Filers are filing this Form 4 jointly, but not as a group, and each of them expressly disclaims membership in a group within the meaning of rule 13d-5(b)(1) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the &quot;1934 Act&quot;). Each of MG Capital and Mr. Petroni disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities except to the extent of that person's pecuniary interest therein. In addition, the filing of this Form 4 on behalf of MGCM should not be construed as an admission that it is, and it disclaims that it is, the beneficial owner, as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act, of any of the securities covered by this Form 4.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Mr. Petroni also owns directly 36,070 shares of OPTi Inc.'s Common Stock, which are not included in Column 5 of Table I.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>MGCM Capital Management, LLC by Marco L. Petroni</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-10-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
