CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
REVENUE:
Product sales	$ 310,458us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	$ 302,618us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	$ 266,063us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet
Services and other	38,561us-gaap_OtherSalesRevenueNet	27,781us-gaap_OtherSalesRevenueNet	29,560us-gaap_OtherSalesRevenueNet
Total revenue	349,019us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	330,399us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	295,623us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
COSTS AND EXPENSES:
Cost of product sales	117,499us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold	133,982us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold	116,261us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold
Cost of services and other	25,659us-gaap_CostOfServices	15,379us-gaap_CostOfServices	15,874us-gaap_CostOfServices
Research and development	50,227us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	47,670us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	57,881us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense
Selling, general and administrative	148,411	141,430	142,853
Litigation settlement	5,100us-gaap_LitigationSettlementExpense	0us-gaap_LitigationSettlementExpense	0us-gaap_LitigationSettlementExpense
Restructuring charges	0us-gaap_RestructuringCharges	4,490us-gaap_RestructuringCharges	1,845us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
Total costs and expenses	346,896us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	342,951us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	334,714us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses
Income (loss) from operations	2,123us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	(12,552)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	(39,091)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Other income (expense), net	652us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense	802us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense	(265)us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense
Interest expense	6,373us-gaap_InterestExpense	12,711us-gaap_InterestExpense	7,193us-gaap_InterestExpense
Gain on sale of product line	0affx_GainLossonSaleofProductLine	9,295affx_GainLossonSaleofProductLine	0affx_GainLossonSaleofProductLine
Loss before income taxes	(3,598)	(15,166)	(46,549)
Income tax provision (benefit)	236us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	1,161us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(35,853)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Net loss	$ (3,834)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	$ (16,327)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	$ (10,696)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Basic and diluted net loss per common share (in dollars per share)	$ (0.05)us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	$ (0.23)us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	$ (0.15)us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted
Shares used in computing basic and diluted net loss per common share (in shares)	73,202	71,441	70,300

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The amount of net income or loss for the period per each share in instances when basic and diluted earnings per share are the same amount and reported as a single line item on the face of the financial statements. Basic earnings per share is the amount of net income or loss for the period per each share of common stock or unit outstanding during the reporting period. Diluted earnings per share includes the amount of net income or loss for the period available to each share of common stock or common unit outstanding during the reporting period and to each share or unit that would have been outstanding assuming the issuance of common shares or units for all dilutive potential common shares or units outstanding during the reporting period.

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Amount of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

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The aggregate amount of income or expense from ancillary business-related activities (that is to say, excluding major activities considered part of the normal operations of the business).

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The aggregate costs incurred (1) in a planned search or critical investigation aimed at discovery of new knowledge with the hope that such knowledge will be useful in developing a new product or service, a new process or technique, or in bringing about a significant improvement to an existing product or process; or (2) to translate research findings or other knowledge into a plan or design for a new product or process or for a significant improvement to an existing product or process whether intended for sale or the entity's use, during the reporting period charged to research and development projects, including the costs of developing computer software up to the point in time of achieving technological feasibility, and costs allocated in accounting for a business combination to in-process projects deemed to have no alternative future use.

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