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Property, Plant and Equipment - Components of Property, Plant and Equipment (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Property, plant and equipment, gross $ 9,728us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross $ 9,543us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
Accumulated depreciation (5,986)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment (5,777)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
Property, plant and equipment, net 3,742us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet 3,766us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
Furniture and fixtures    
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Property, plant and equipment, gross 265us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_FurnitureAndFixturesMember
255us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_FurnitureAndFixturesMember
Equipment and software    
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Property, plant and equipment, gross 6,842us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= emc_ComputerEquipmentAndCapitalizedSoftwareMember
6,684us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= emc_ComputerEquipmentAndCapitalizedSoftwareMember
Buildings and improvements    
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Property, plant and equipment, gross 2,345us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_BuildingAndBuildingImprovementsMember
2,308us-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
162us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LandMember
Building construction in progress    
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Property, plant and equipment, gross 114us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember
134us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember
Facilities not yet placed in service, holding for future use    
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Building construction in progress $ 76us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= emc_AssetsHeldForFutureUseMember