Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	6 Months Ended
Jul. 26, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or U.S. GAAP, for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, Regulation S-X. The January 26, 2020 consolidated balance sheet was derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 26, 2020, as filed with the SEC, but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments considered necessary for a fair statement of results of operations and financial position have been included. The results for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for any future period. The following information should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 26, 2020. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in this report include the financial results of Mellanox Technologies Ltd., or Mellanox, prospectively from April 27, 2020. For additional details, refer to Note 2 - Business Combination.
Business Combination	Business Combination We allocate the fair value of the purchase price of an acquisition to the tangible assets acquired, liabilities assumed, and intangible assets acquired, including in-process research and development, or IPR&D, based on their estimated fair values. The excess of the fair value of the purchase price over the fair values of these net tangible and intangible assets acquired is recorded as goodwill. Management’s estimates of fair value are based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable, but our estimates and assumptions are inherently uncertain and subject to refinement. The estimates and assumptions used in valuing intangible assets include, but are not limited to, the amount and timing of projected future cash flows, discount rate used to determine the present value of these cash flows and asset lives. These estimates are inherently uncertain and, therefore, actual results may differ from the estimates made. As a result, during the measurement period of up to one year from the acquisition date, we record adjustments to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed with the corresponding offset to goodwill. Upon the conclusion of the measurement period or final determination of the fair value of the purchase price of an acquisition, whichever comes first, any subsequent adjustments are recorded to our condensed consolidated statements of income. We initially capitalize the fair value of IPR&D as an intangible asset with an indefinite life. We assess for impairment thereafter. When IPR&D projects are completed, we reclassify the IPR&D as an amortizable purchased intangible asset and amortize over the asset’s estimated useful life. Acquisition-related expenses are recognized separately from the business combination and expensed as incurred.
Investment in Non-Affiliated Entities	Investment in Non-Affiliated Entities Non-marketable equity investments in privately-held companies are recorded at fair value on a non-recurring basis only if an impairment or observable price adjustment occurs in the period with changes in fair value recorded through net income. These investments are valued using observable and unobservable inputs or data in an inactive market and the valuation requires our judgment due to the absence of market prices and inherent lack of liquidity. The estimated fair value is based on quantitative and qualitative factors including subsequent financing activities by the investee.
Fiscal Year	Fiscal Year We operate on a 52- or 53-week year, ending on the last Sunday in January. Fiscal year 2021 is a 53-week year and fiscal year 2020 is a 52-week year. The second quarters of fiscal years 2021 and 2020 were both 13-week quarters.
Reclassifications	Reclassifications Certain prior fiscal year balances have been reclassified to conform to the current fiscal year presentation.
Principles of Consolidation	Principles of Consolidation Our condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of NVIDIA Corporation and our wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Use of Estimates	Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ materially from our estimates. On an on-going basis, we evaluate our estimates, including those related to revenue recognition, cash equivalents and marketable securities, accounts receivable, inventories, income taxes, goodwill, stock-based compensation, litigation, investigation and settlement costs, restructuring and other charges, and other contingencies. The inputs into our judgments and estimates consider the economic implications of COVID-19 on our critical and significant accounting estimates. These estimates are based on historical facts and various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable.
Adoption of New and Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements	Adoption of New and Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncement In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued a new accounting standard to replace the existing incurred loss impairment methodology with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates for accounts receivable and other financial instruments, including available-for-sale debt securities. We adopted the standard in the first quarter of fiscal year 2021 and the impact of the adoption was not material to our consolidated financial statements.

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jul. 26, 2020

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or U.S. GAAP, for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, Regulation S-X. The January 26, 2020 consolidated balance sheet was derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 26, 2020, as filed with the SEC, but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments considered necessary for a fair statement of results of operations and financial position have been included. The results for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for any future period. The following information should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 26, 2020.

The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in this report include the financial results of Mellanox Technologies Ltd., or Mellanox, prospectively from April 27, 2020. For additional details, refer to Note 2 - Business Combination.

Business Combination

We allocate the fair value of the purchase price of an acquisition to the tangible assets acquired, liabilities assumed, and intangible assets acquired, including in-process research and development, or IPR&D, based on their estimated fair values. The excess of the fair value of the purchase price over the fair values of these net tangible and intangible assets acquired is recorded as goodwill. Management’s estimates of fair value are based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable, but our estimates and assumptions are inherently uncertain and subject to refinement. The estimates and assumptions used in valuing intangible assets include, but are not limited to, the amount and timing of projected future cash flows, discount rate used to determine the present value of these cash flows and asset lives. These estimates are inherently uncertain and, therefore, actual results may differ from the estimates made. As a result, during the measurement period of up to one year from the acquisition date, we record adjustments to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed with the corresponding offset to goodwill. Upon the conclusion of the measurement period or final determination of the fair value of the purchase price of an acquisition, whichever comes first, any subsequent adjustments are recorded to our condensed consolidated statements of income.

We initially capitalize the fair value of IPR&D as an intangible asset with an indefinite life. We assess for impairment thereafter. When IPR&D projects are completed, we reclassify the IPR&D as an amortizable purchased intangible asset and amortize over the asset’s estimated useful life.

Acquisition-related expenses are recognized separately from the business combination and expensed as incurred.

Investment in Non-Affiliated Entities

Non-marketable equity investments in privately-held companies are recorded at fair value on a non-recurring basis only if an impairment or observable price adjustment occurs in the period with changes in fair value recorded through net income. These investments are valued using observable and unobservable inputs or data in an inactive market and the valuation requires our judgment due to the absence of market prices and inherent lack of liquidity. The estimated fair value is based on quantitative and qualitative factors including subsequent financing activities by the investee.

Fiscal Year

We operate on a 52- or 53-week year, ending on the last Sunday in January. Fiscal year 2021 is a 53-week year and fiscal year 2020 is a 52-week year. The second quarters of fiscal years 2021 and 2020 were both 13-week quarters.

Reclassifications

Certain prior fiscal year balances have been reclassified to conform to the current fiscal year presentation.

Principles of Consolidation

Our condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of NVIDIA Corporation and our wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ materially from our estimates. On an on-going basis, we evaluate our estimates, including those related to revenue recognition, cash equivalents and marketable securities, accounts receivable, inventories, income taxes, goodwill, stock-based compensation, litigation, investigation and settlement costs, restructuring and other charges, and other contingencies. The inputs into our judgments and estimates consider the economic implications of COVID-19 on our critical and significant accounting estimates. These estimates are based on historical facts and various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable.

Adoption of New and Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncement

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued a new accounting standard to replace the existing incurred loss impairment methodology with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates for accounts receivable and other financial instruments, including available-for-sale debt securities. We adopted the standard in the first quarter of fiscal year 2021 and the impact of the adoption was not material to our consolidated financial statements.