Access time

This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (February 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Access time is the time delay or latency between a request to an electronic system, and the access being completed or the requested data returned

• In a computer, it is the time interval between the instant at which an instruction control unit initiates a call for data or a request to store data, and the instant at which delivery of the data is completed or the storage is started.