<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001243233-08-000007
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20080122
<FILING-DATE>20080122
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20080122
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>NVIDIA CORP
<CIK>0001045810
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3674
<IRS-NUMBER>943177549
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0129
</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>SHANNON DAVID M
<CIK>0001197653
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-23985
<FILM-NUMBER>08543141
</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>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-01-22</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001197653</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SHANNON DAVID M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O NVIDIA CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2701 SAN TOMAS EXPRESSWAY</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SANTA CLARA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95050</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>VP, General Counsel, Secretary</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-01-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>11430</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>8.75</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>23256</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>40251</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Shannon Revocable Trust</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>8.75</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-01-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>11430</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2010-04-12</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>11430</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>78570</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The shares are held by the Shannon Revocable Trust, dated 9/24/1997, of which the Reporting Person is a trustee.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This option was previously reported as covering 60,000 shares at an exercise price of $26.24, but was adjusted to reflect the stock splits that occurred on April 6, 2006 and September 10, 2007.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Vesting begins 4/13/2007 and continues on a quarterly basis for the next year; fully vests on 4/13/2008.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Christine Lillquist, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-01-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
