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Property, Plant and Equipment - Components of Property, Plant and Equipment (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Property, plant and equipment, gross $ 9,543us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross $ 8,638us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross  
Accumulated depreciation (5,777)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment (5,160)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment  
Property, plant and equipment, net 3,766us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet 3,478us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet  
Depreciation 998us-gaap_Depreciation 867us-gaap_Depreciation 780us-gaap_Depreciation
Furniture and fixtures      
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Property, plant and equipment, gross 255us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_FurnitureAndFixturesMember
229us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_FurnitureAndFixturesMember
 
Equipment and software      
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Property, plant and equipment, gross 6,684us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= emc_ComputerEquipmentAndCapitalizedSoftwareMember
5,973us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= emc_ComputerEquipmentAndCapitalizedSoftwareMember
 
Buildings and improvements      
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Property, plant and equipment, gross 2,308us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_BuildingAndBuildingImprovementsMember
2,089us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_BuildingAndBuildingImprovementsMember
 
Land      
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Property, plant and equipment, gross 162us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LandMember
132us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LandMember
 
Building construction in progress      
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Property, plant and equipment, gross 134us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember
215us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember
 
Assets held for future use      
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Construction in progress on facilities held for future use $ 76us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= emc_AssetsHeldForFutureUseMember