<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001197654-03-000003
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030228
<FILING-DATE>20030507
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>NVIDIA CORP
<CIK>0001045810
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3674
<IRS-NUMBER>943177549
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0125
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2701 SAN TOMAS EXPRESSWAY
<CITY>SANTA CLARA
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>95050
<PHONE>408-486-2000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2701 SAN TOMAS EXPRESSWAY
<CITY>SANTA CLARA
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>95050
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>NVIDIA CORP/DE
<DATE-CHANGED>20020612
</FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>NVIDIA CORP/CA
<DATE-CHANGED>19980303
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>VIVOLI DANIEL
<CIK>0001197654
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-23985
<FILM-NUMBER>03686691
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2701 SAN TOMAS EXPRESS WAY
<CITY>SANTA CLARA
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>95050
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-02-28</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001045810</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NVIDIA CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NVDA</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001197654</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>VIVOLI DANIEL</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Vice President, Marketing</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Common Stock</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-02-28</value>
        </transactionDate>
        <transactionCoding>
            <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
            <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
            <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </transactionCoding>
        <transactionTimeliness>
            <value>E</value>
        </transactionTimeliness>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>1488</value>
            </transactionShares>
            <transactionValue>
                <value>8.06</value>
            </transactionValue>
            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>A</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <postTransactionAmounts>
            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>230705</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Employee Stock option (right to buy)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>14.33</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-05-01</value>
        </transactionDate>
        <transactionCoding>
            <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
            <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
            <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
        </transactionCoding>
        <transactionTimeliness>
            <value></value>
        </transactionTimeliness>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>70000</value>
            </transactionShares>
            <transactionValue>
                <value>0</value>
            </transactionValue>
            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>A</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>2003-08-01</value>
            <footnoteId id="F3"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2009-05-01</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>70000</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <postTransactionAmounts>
            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>250628</value>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents shares acquired in an exempt transaction pursuant to NVIDIA's 1998 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (Section 423 Plan).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Reflects corrected number of shares held directly by Reporting Person, based on September 3, 2002 Form 3 and October 25, 2002 Form 4.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">An option to purchase 70,000 shares of Common Stock was granted at an exercise price of $14.33 per share. Vesting begins 5/1/2003 and continues on a quarterly basis for the next four years; fully vests on 5/1/2007.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Daniel Vivoli</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-05-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
