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RAM Latency Formula:
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RAM latency refers to the delay between when a memory controller requests data from RAM and when that data becomes available. It's a critical performance metric measured in nanoseconds (ns) that affects system responsiveness and overall computing performance.
The calculator uses the RAM latency formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula converts CAS latency cycles into actual time by accounting for the memory's clock speed. Dividing speed by 2000 converts MHz to nanoseconds (since 1 MHz = 1/1000,000,000 seconds and 1 ns = 1/1,000,000,000 seconds).
Details: Understanding true latency helps in comparing different RAM modules and optimizing system performance. Lower latency values indicate faster memory response times, which can significantly impact gaming, content creation, and other memory-intensive tasks.
Tips: Enter CAS latency in cycles and memory speed in MHz. Both values must be positive numbers. Typical CAS values range from 14-22 cycles, while common speeds range from 2133-6400 MHz for DDR4/DDR5 memory.
Q1: What is CAS latency?
A: CAS (Column Address Strobe) latency is the number of clock cycles it takes for the RAM to return data after receiving a request from the memory controller.
Q2: Why calculate true latency instead of just using CAS?
A: True latency provides the actual time delay in nanoseconds, allowing for fair comparison between memory modules with different clock speeds.
Q3: What are typical RAM latency values?
A: Most modern RAM has true latency between 10-20 nanoseconds. Lower values indicate better performance.
Q4: Does lower CAS always mean better performance?
A: Not necessarily - a higher speed module with slightly higher CAS might have lower true latency than a slower module with lower CAS.
Q5: How does RAM latency affect real-world performance?
A: Lower latency can improve frame rates in games, reduce application load times, and improve overall system responsiveness, especially in memory-intensive tasks.