What Are Timing's?

[RAM555789]

Can someone give a break down of what timing's are in a nutshell, or maybe link a video?

[Energycore]

Timings are delays in the execution of specific functions within the RAM's integrated circuit that serve to create stability in the memory writing and reading process. Here's a video from Linus

 

[Oshino Shinobu]

Timings are basically representative of delays for internal operations. The one you'll see most often is CAS Latency (CL). This is how long the memory module will delay in returning data that's requested by the CPU. CL10 RAM will delay 10 clock cycles before returning data. You have to take the frequency into account as well though, as the timings are based on clock cycles and not actual time, so CL10 3200MHz RAM will actually respond faster than CL9 1600MHz RAM. Even though it will delay for 1 more clock cycle than the CL9 1600MHz RAM, the actual time it takes for the CL10 3200MHz RAM to complete a cycle is much faster, so the actual delay ends up being shorter. 

 

This is a good article to read:

 

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/understanding-ram-timings/

 

Quote

The operations that these numbers indicate are the following: CL-tRCD-tRP-tRAS-CMD. To understand them, bear in mind that the memory is internally organized as a matrix, where the data are stored at the intersection of the lines and columns.

• CL: CAS Latency. The time it takes between a command having been sent to the memory and when it begins to reply to it. It is the time it takes between the processor asking for some data from the memory and then returning it.
• tRCD: RAS to CAS Delay. The time it takes between the activation of the line (RAS) and the column (CAS) where the data are stored in the matrix.
• tRP: RAS Precharge. The time it takes between disabling the access to a line of data and the beginning of the access to another line of data.
• tRAS: Active to Precharge Delay. How long the memory has to wait until the next access to the memory can be initiated.
• CMD: Command Rate. The time it takes between the memory chip having been activated and when the first command may be sent to the memory. Sometimes this value is not announced. It usually is T1 (1 clock cycle) or T2 (2 clock cycles).

Also, there's a Techquickie video on timings here: