Editing Synchronous dynamic random-access memory (section)

== Mode register ==
Single data rate SDRAM has a single 10-bit programmable mode register. Later double-data-rate SDRAM standards add additional mode registers, addressed using the bank address pins. For SDR SDRAM, the bank address pins and address lines A10 and above are ignored, but should be zero during a mode register write.

The bits are M9 through M0, presented on address lines A9 through A0 during a load mode register cycle.
* M9: Write burst mode. If 0, writes use the read burst length and mode. If 1, all writes are non-burst (single location).
* M8, M7: Operating mode. Reserved, and must be 00.
* M6, M5, M4: CAS latency. Generally only 010 (CL2) and 011 (CL3) are legal. Specifies the number of cycles between a read command and data output from the chip. The chip has a fundamental limit on this value in nanoseconds; during initialization, the memory controller must use its knowledge of the clock frequency to translate that limit into cycles.
* M3: Burst type. 0 - requests sequential burst ordering, while 1 requests interleaved burst ordering.
* M2, M1, M0: Burst length. Values of 000, 001, 010 and 011 specify a burst size of 1, 2, 4 or 8 words, respectively. Each read (and write, if M9 is 0) will perform that many accesses, unless interrupted by a burst stop or other command. A value of 111 specifies a full-row burst. The burst will continue until interrupted. Full-row bursts are only permitted with the sequential burst type.

Later (double data rate) SDRAM standards use more mode register bits, and provide additional mode registers called "extended mode registers". The register number is encoded on the bank address pins during the load mode register command. For example, DDR2 SDRAM has a 13-bit mode register, a 13-bit extended mode register No. 1 (EMR1), and a 5-bit extended mode register No. 2 (EMR2).