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CAS latency
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Donate to Wikipedia Column Access Strobe (CAS) latency, or CL, is the delay time between the READ command and the moment data is available.[1][2] In asynchronous DRAM, the interval is specified in nanoseconds (absolute time).[3] In synchronous DRAM, the interval is specified
in clock cycles. Because the latency is dependent upon a number of clock ticks instead of absolute time, the actual time for an SDRAM module to respond to a CAS event might vary between uses of the same module if the clock rate differs.
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About Wikipedia 1 RAM operation background
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2 Effect on memory access speed
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2.1 Memory timing examples
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2.1.1 Notes
Tools 3 References
What links here 4 See also
Related changes 5 External links
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Page information RAM operation background [ edit ]
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Cite this page Further information: DRAM § Principles of operation

Dynamic RAM is arranged in a rectangular array. Each row is selected by a horizontal word line. Sending a logical high signal along a given row enables the MOSFETs present in that row, connecting each storage capacitor to its corresponding vertical bit line. Each
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bit line is connected to a sense amplifier that amplifies the small voltage change produced by the storage capacitor. This amplified signal is then output from the DRAM chip as well as driven back up the bit line to refresh the row.
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Printable version When no word line is active, the array is idle and the bit lines are held in a precharged state, with a voltage halfway between high and low. This indeterminate signal is deflected towards high or low by the storage capacitor when a row is made active.

Languages To access memory, a row must first be selected and loaded into the sense amplifiers. This row is then active, and columns may be accessed for read or write.

Deutsch The CAS latency is the delay between the time at which the column address and the column address strobe signal are presented to the memory module and the time at which the corresponding data is made available by the memory module. The desired row must
Español already be active; if it is not, additional time is required.
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As an example, a typical 1 GiB SDRAM memory module might contain eight separate one-gibibit DRAM chips, each offering 128 MiB of storage space. Each chip is divided internally into eight banks of 227=128 Mibits, each of which composes a separate DRAM
Polski array. Each array contains 214=16384 rows of 213=8192 bits each. One byte of memory (from each chip; 64 bits total from the whole DIMM) is accessed by supplying a 3-bit bank number, a 14-bit row address, and a 13-bit column address.
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Effect on memory access speed [ edit ]

With asynchronous DRAM, memory was accessed by a memory controller on the memory bus based on a set timing rather than a clock, and was separate from the system bus.[3] Synchronous DRAM, however, has a CAS latency that is dependent upon the clock
rate. Accordingly, the CAS latency of an SDRAM memory module is specified in clock ticks instead of absolute time.[citation needed]

Because memory modules have multiple internal banks, and data can be output from one during access latency for another, the output pins can be kept 100% busy regardless of the CAS latency through pipelining; the maximum attainable bandwidth is determined
solely by the clock speed. Unfortunately, this maximum bandwidth can only be attained if the address of the data to be read is known long enough in advance; if the address of the data being accessed is not predictable, pipeline stalls can occur, resulting in a loss of
bandwidth. For a completely unknown memory access (AKA Random access), the relevant latency is the time to close any open row, plus the time to open the desired row, followed by the CAS latency to read data from it. Due to spatial locality, however, it is
common to access several words in the same row. In this case, the CAS latency alone determines the elapsed time.

Because modern DRAM modules' CAS latencies are specified in clock ticks instead of time, when comparing latencies at different clock speeds, latencies must be translated into absolute times to make a fair comparison; a higher numerical CAS latency may still be
a shorter absolute-time latency if the clock is faster. However, it is important to note that the manufacturer-specified CAS latency typically assumes the specified clock rate, so underclocking a memory module may also allow for a lower CAS latency to be set.

Double data rate (DDR) RAM operates using two transfers per clock cycle. The transfer rate is typically quoted by manufacturers, instead of the clock rate, which is half of the transfer rate for DDR modules. Because the CAS latency is specified in clock cycles, and
not transfer ticks (which occur on both the positive and negative edge of the clock), it is important to ensure it is the clock rate that is being used to compute CAS latency times, and not the doubled transfer rate.

Another complicating factor is the use of burst transfers. A modern microprocessor might have a cache line size of 64 bytes, requiring eight transfers from a 64-bit-wide (eight bytes) memory to fill. The CAS latency can only accurately measure the time to transfer the
first word of memory; the time to transfer all eight words depends on the data transfer rate as well. Fortunately, the processor typically does not need to wait for all eight words; the burst is usually sent in critical word first order, and the first critical word can be used
by the microprocessor immediately.

In the table below, data rates are given in million transfers—also known as megatransfers—per second (MT/s), while clock rates are given in MHz, million cycles per second.

Memory timing examples [ edit ]

Memory timing examples (CAS latency only)[citation needed][original research?]

Generation Type Data rate Transfer time[a] Command rate[b] Cycle time[c] CAS latency First word[d] Fourth word[d] Eighth word[d]
PC100 100 MT/s 10.000 ns 100 MHz 10.000 ns 2 20.00 ns 50.00 ns 90.00 ns
SDRAM
PC133 133 MT/s 7.500 ns 133 MHz 7.500 ns 3 22.50 ns 45.00 ns 75.00 ns
DDR-333 333 MT/s 3.000 ns 166 MHz 6.000 ns 2.5 15.00 ns 24.00 ns 36.00 ns
3 15.00 ns 22.50 ns 32.50 ns
DDR SDRAM
DDR-400 400 MT/s 2.500 ns 200 MHz 5.000 ns 2.5 12.50 ns 20.00 ns 30.00 ns
2 10.00 ns 17.50 ns 27.50 ns
4 20.00 ns 27.50 ns 37.50 ns
DDR2-400 400 MT/s 2.500 ns 200 MHz 5.000 ns
3 15.00 ns 22.50 ns 32.50 ns
4 15.00 ns 20.63 ns 28.13 ns
DDR2-533 533 MT/s 1.875 ns 266 MHz 3.750 ns
3 11.25 ns 16.88 ns 24.38 ns
5 15.00 ns 19.50 ns 25.50 ns
DDR2-667 667 MT/s 1.500 ns 333 MHz 3.000 ns
4 12.00 ns 16.50 ns 22.50 ns
6 15.00 ns 18.75 ns 23.75 ns
DDR2 SDRAM 5 12.50 ns 16.25 ns 21.25 ns
DDR2-800 800 MT/s 1.250 ns 400 MHz 2.500 ns
4.5 11.25 ns 15.00 ns 20.00 ns
4 10.00 ns 13.75 ns 18.75 ns
7 13.13 ns 15.94 ns 19.69 ns
6 11.25 ns 14.06 ns 17.81 ns
DDR2-1066 1066 MT/s 0.938 ns 533 MHz 1.875 ns 5 9.38 ns 12.19 ns 15.94 ns
4.5 8.44 ns 11.25 ns 15.00 ns
4 7.50 ns 10.31 ns 14.06 ns
DDR3-1066 1066 MT/s 0.938 ns 533 MHz 1.875 ns 7 13.13 ns 15.94 ns 19.69 ns
9 13.50 ns 15.75 ns 18.75 ns
DDR3-1333 1333 MT/s 0.750 ns 666 MHz 1.500 ns 7 10.50 ns 12.75 ns 15.75 ns
6 9.00 ns 11.25 ns 14.25 ns
DDR3-1375 1375 MT/s 0.727 ns 687 MHz 1.455 ns 5 7.27 ns 9.45 ns 12.36 ns
11 13.75 ns 15.63 ns 18.13 ns
10 12.50 ns 14.38 ns 16.88 ns
9 11.25 ns 13.13 ns 15.63 ns
DDR3-1600 1600 MT/s 0.625 ns 800 MHz 1.250 ns
8 10.00 ns 11.88 ns 14.38 ns
7 8.75 ns 10.63 ns 13.13 ns
6 7.50 ns 9.38 ns 11.88 ns
10 10.71 ns 12.32 ns 14.46 ns
DDR3-1866 1866 MT/s 0.536 ns 933 MHz 1.071 ns 9 9.64 ns 11.25 ns 13.39 ns
8 8.57 ns 10.18 ns 12.32 ns
DDR3-2000 2000 MT/s 0.500 ns 1000 MHz 1.000 ns 9 9.00 ns 10.50 ns 12.50 ns
12 11.25 ns 12.66 ns 14.53 ns
11 10.31 ns 11.72 ns 13.59 ns
10 9.38 ns 10.78 ns 12.66 ns
DDR3-2133 2133 MT/s 0.469 ns 1066 MHz 0.938 ns
9 8.44 ns 9.84 ns 11.72 ns
8 7.50 ns 8.91 ns 10.78 ns
DDR3 SDRAM
7 6.56 ns 7.97 ns 9.84 ns
DDR3-2200 2200 MT/s 0.455 ns 1100 MHz 0.909 ns 7 6.36 ns 7.73 ns 9.55 ns
13 10.83 ns 12.08 ns 13.75 ns
12 10.00 ns 11.25 ns 12.92 ns
DDR3-2400 2400 MT/s 0.417 ns 1200 MHz 0.833 ns 11 9.17 ns 10.42 ns 12.08 ns
10 8.33 ns 9.58 ns 11.25 ns
9 7.50 ns 8.75 ns 10.42 ns
DDR3-2600 2600 MT/s 0.385 ns 1300 MHz 0.769 ns 11 8.46 ns 9.62 ns 11.15 ns
15 11.25 ns 12.38 ns 13.88 ns
13 9.75 ns 10.88 ns 12.38 ns
DDR3-2666 2666 MT/s 0.375 ns 1333 MHz 0.750 ns
12 9.00 ns 10.13 ns 11.63 ns
11 8.25 ns 9.38 ns 10.88 ns
16 11.43 ns 12.50 ns 13.93 ns
DDR3-2800 2800 MT/s 0.357 ns 1400 MHz 0.714 ns 12 8.57 ns 9.64 ns 11.07 ns
11 7.86 ns 8.93 ns 10.36 ns
DDR3-2933 2933 MT/s 0.341 ns 1466 MHz 0.682 ns 12 8.18 ns 9.20 ns 10.57 ns
DDR3-3000 3000 MT/s 0.333 ns 1500 MHz 0.667 ns 12 8.00 ns 9.00 ns 10.33 ns
DDR3-3100 3100 MT/s 0.323 ns 1550 MHz 0.645 ns 12 7.74 ns 8.71 ns 10.00 ns
DDR3-3200 3200 MT/s 0.313 ns 1600 MHz 0.625 ns 16 10.00 ns 10.94 ns 12.19 ns
DDR3-3300 3300 MT/s 0.303 ns 1650 MHz 0.606 ns 16 9.70 ns 10.61 ns 11.82 ns
12 15.00 ns 16.88 ns 19.38 ns
DDR4-1600 1600 MT/s 0.625 ns 800 MHz 1.250 ns 11 13.75 ns 15.63 ns 18.13 ns
10 12.50 ns 14.38 ns 16.88 ns
14 15.00 ns 16.61 ns 18.75 ns
DDR4-1866 1866 MT/s 0.536 ns 933 MHz 1.071 ns 13 13.93 ns 15.54 ns 17.68 ns
12 12.86 ns 14.46 ns 16.61 ns
16 15.00 ns 16.41 ns 18.28 ns
DDR4-2133 2133 MT/s 0.469 ns 1066 MHz 0.938 ns 15 14.06 ns 15.47 ns 17.34 ns
14 13.13 ns 14.53 ns 16.41 ns
17 14.17 ns 15.42 ns 17.08 ns
DDR4-2400 2400 MT/s 0.417 ns 1200 MHz 0.833 ns 16 13.33 ns 14.58 ns 16.25 ns
15 12.50 ns 13.75 ns 15.42 ns
17 12.75 ns 13.88 ns 15.38 ns
16 12.00 ns 13.13 ns 14.63 ns
DDR4-2666 2666 MT/s 0.375 ns 1333 MHz 0.750 ns 15 11.25 ns 12.38 ns 13.88 ns
13 9.75 ns 10.88 ns 12.38 ns
12 9.00 ns 10.13 ns 11.63 ns
17 12.14 ns 13.21 ns 14.64 ns
16 11.43 ns 12.50 ns 13.93 ns
DDR4-2800 2800 MT/s 0.357 ns 1400 MHz 0.714 ns
15 10.71 ns 11.79 ns 13.21 ns
14 10.00 ns 11.07 ns 12.50 ns
17 11.33 ns 12.33 ns 13.67 ns
16 10.67 ns 11.67 ns 13.00 ns
DDR4-3000 3000 MT/s 0.333 ns 1500 MHz 0.667 ns
15 10.00 ns 11.00 ns 12.33 ns
DDR4 SDRAM 14 9.33 ns 10.33 ns 11.67 ns
16 10.00 ns 10.94 ns 12.19 ns
DDR4-3200 3200 MT/s 0.313 ns 1600 MHz 0.625 ns 15 9.38 ns 10.31 ns 11.56 ns
14 8.75 ns 9.69 ns 10.94 ns
DDR4-3300 3300 MT/s 0.303 ns 1650 MHz 0.606 ns 16 9.70 ns 10.61 ns 11.82 ns
DDR4-3333 3333 MT/s 0.300 ns 1666 MHz 0.600 ns 16 9.60 ns 10.50 ns 11.70 ns
DDR4-3400 3400 MT/s 0.294 ns 1700 MHz 0.588 ns 16 9.41 ns 10.29 ns 11.47 ns
18 10.38 ns 11.25 ns 12.40 ns
DDR4-3466 3466 MT/s 0.288 ns 1733 MHz 0.577 ns 17 9.81 ns 10.67 ns 11.83 ns
16 9.23 ns 10.10 ns 11.25 ns
19 10.56 ns 11.39 ns 12.50 ns
18 10.00 ns 10.83 ns 11.94 ns
DDR4-3600 3600 MT/s 0.278 ns 1800 MHz 0.556 ns 17 9.44 ns 10.28 ns 11.39 ns
16 8.89 ns 9.72 ns 10.83 ns
15 8.33 ns 9.17 ns 10.28 ns
DDR4-3733 3733 MT/s 0.268 ns 1866 MHz 0.536 ns 17 9.11 ns 9.91 ns 10.98 ns
DDR4-3866 3866 MT/s 0.259 ns 1933 MHz 0.517 ns 18 9.31 ns 10.09 ns 11.12 ns
DDR4-4000 4000 MT/s 0.250 ns 2000 MHz 0.500 ns 19 9.50 ns 10.25 ns 11.25 ns
DDR4-4133 4133 MT/s 0.242 ns 2066 MHz 0.484 ns 19 9.19 ns 9.92 ns 10.89 ns
DDR4-4200 4200 MT/s 0.238 ns 2100 MHz 0.476 ns 19 9.05 ns 9.76 ns 10.71 ns
19 8.91 ns 9.61 ns 10.55 ns
DDR4-4266 4266 MT/s 0.234 ns 2133 MHz 0.469 ns
18 8.44 ns 9.14 ns 10.08 ns
19 8.26 ns 8.91 ns 9.78 ns
DDR4-4600 4600 MT/s 0.217 ns 2300 MHz 0.435 ns
18 7.82 ns 8.48 ns 9.35 ns
DDR4-4800 4800 MT/s 0.208 ns 2400 MHz 0.417 ns 19 7.92 ns 8.54 ns 9.38 ns
Generation Type Data rate Transfer time Command rate Cycle time CAS latency First word Fourth word Eighth word

Notes [ edit ]
a. ^ Transfer time = 1 / Data rate.
b. ^ Command rate = Data rate / 2 for double data rate (DDR), Command rate = Data rate for single data rate (SDR).
c. ^ Cycle time = 1 / Command rate = 2 × Transfer time.
d. ^ a b c d Nth word = [(2 × CAS latency) + (N − 1)] × Transfer time.

References [ edit ]

1. ^ Stokes, Jon "Hannibal" (1998–2004). "Ars Technica RAM Guide Part II: Asynchronous and Synchronous DRAM" . Ars Technica.
2. ^ Jacob, Bruce L. (December 10, 2002), Synchronous DRAM Architectures, Organizations, and Alternative Technologies (PDF), University of Maryland
3. ^ a b Memory technology evolution: an overview of system memory technologies , HP, July 2008

See also [ edit ]

Memory timings

External links [ edit ]

Google Sheet: User-entered Memory Timing Comparisons and Memory timing examples (CAS latency only)
Google Sheet: DDR4 RAM Actual Timings Full Comparison Grid
PCSTATS: Memory Bandwidth vs. Latency Timings
How Memory Access Works
Tom's Hardware Guide: Tight Timings vs High Clock Frequencies
Understanding RAM Timings
AnandTech: Everything You Always Wanted To Know About SDRAM Memory But Were Afraid To Ask

Categories: Computer memory

This page was last edited on 5 December 2019, at 00:54 (UTC).

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