<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001197649-03-000003
<TYPE>5
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030126
<FILING-DATE>20030520
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>HUANG JEN HSUN
<CIK>0001197649
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>5
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-23985
<FILM-NUMBER>03711844
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2701 SAN TOMAS EXPRESS WAY
<CITY>SANTA CLARA
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>95050
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<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>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>5
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-01-26</periodOfReport>
    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>1</form4TransactionsReported>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001045810</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NVIDIA CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NVDA</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001197649</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HUANG JEN HSUN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>President and CEO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>37.17</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2002-05-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value>L</value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>250000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2005-05-15</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-05-14</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>250000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3679000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The option vests over a two-year period beginning on May 15, 2005 at a rate of 5% per quarter for the first year and 20% per quarter for the second year.  The option will be fully vested on May 15, 2007.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Jen_Hsun Huang</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-19</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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