| Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment [Table Text Block] |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | GPU | | Tegra Processor | | All Other | | Consolidated | | (In thousands) | Year Ended January 25, 2015: | | | | | | | | Revenue | $ | 3,838,906 |
| | $ | 578,601 |
| | $ | 264,000 |
| | $ | 4,681,507 |
| Depreciation and amortization expense | $ | 116,683 |
| | $ | 57,282 |
| | $ | 46,160 |
| | $ | 220,125 |
| Operating income (loss) | $ | 1,113,350 |
| | $ | (254,435 | ) | | $ | (99,926 | ) | | $ | 758,989 |
| Year Ended January 26, 2014: | | | | | | | | Revenue | $ | 3,468,144 |
| | $ | 398,018 |
| | $ | 264,000 |
| | $ | 4,130,162 |
| Depreciation and amortization expense | $ | 146,571 |
| | $ | 49,839 |
| | $ | 42,738 |
| | $ | 239,148 |
| Operating income (loss) | $ | 834,763 |
| | $ | (268,068 | ) | | $ | (70,468 | ) | | $ | 496,227 |
| Year Ended January 27, 2013: | | | | | | | | Revenue | $ | 3,251,712 |
| | $ | 764,447 |
| | $ | 264,000 |
| | $ | 4,280,159 |
| Depreciation and amortization expense | $ | 143,262 |
| | $ | 40,793 |
| | $ | 42,180 |
| | $ | 226,235 |
| Operating income (loss) | $ | 694,338 |
| | $ | 40,508 |
| | $ | (86,607 | ) | | $ | 648,239 |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Year Ended | | | January 25,
2015 | | January 26,
2014 | | January 27,
2013 | | | (In thousands) | Reconciling items included in "All Other" category: | | | | | Revenue not allocated to reporting segments | | $ | 264,000 |
| | $ | 264,000 |
| | $ | 264,000 |
| Unallocated corporate operating expenses and other expenses | | (168,730 | ) | | (166,483 | ) | | (157,680 | ) | Stock-based compensation | | (157,841 | ) | | (136,295 | ) | | (136,662 | ) | Acquisition-related costs, net | | (37,355 | ) | | (31,652 | ) | | (36,138 | ) | Other non-recurring expenses and benefits | | — |
| | (38 | ) | | (20,127 | ) | Total | | $ | (99,926 | ) | | $ | (70,468 | ) | | $ | (86,607 | ) |
|
| Schedule of Revenue from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets, by Geographical Areas [Table Text Block] |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Year Ended | | January 25,
2015 | | January 26,
2014 | | January 27,
2013 | Revenue: | (In thousands) | Taiwan | $ | 1,594,435 |
| | $ | 1,321,503 |
| | $ | 1,356,838 |
| China | 922,121 |
| | 793,790 |
| | 780,493 |
| United States | 790,614 |
| | 726,830 |
| | 799,430 |
| Other Asia Pacific | 637,029 |
| | 675,339 |
| | 783,573 |
| Europe | 368,921 |
| | 295,160 |
| | 263,488 |
| Other Americas | 368,387 |
| | 317,540 |
| | 296,337 |
| Total revenue | $ | 4,681,507 |
| | $ | 4,130,162 |
| | $ | 4,280,159 |
|
The following table presents summarized information for long-lived assets by geographic region. Long-lived assets consist of property and equipment and deposits and other assets, and exclude goodwill and intangible assets. | | | | | | | | | | January 25,
2015 | | January 26,
2014 | Long-lived assets: | (In thousands) | United States | $ | 467,277 |
| | $ | 522,461 |
| Taiwan | 52,176 |
| | 51,993 |
| Europe | 51,521 |
| | 50,677 |
| India | 48,544 |
| | 31,456 |
| China | 28,073 |
| | 29,313 |
| Other Asia Pacific | 587 |
| | 1,092 |
| Total long-lived assets | $ | 648,178 |
| | $ | 686,992 |
|
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