Efficient memory management can be performed using a computer system that includes a client which requests access to a memory, a memory interface coupled to the client and to the memory, wherein the memory interface comprises an arbiter to arbitrate requests received from the client to access data stored in the memory, a look ahead structure for managing the memory, a request queue for queuing memory access requests, and wherein the look ahead structure is located before the arbiter so that the look ahead structure communicates with the memory through the arbiter. Efficient memory management can also be performed by sending a memory access request from a client to a look ahead structure and to a request queue, wherein the look ahead structure comprises a row bank direction queue and a tiering logic, checking state of memory being requested using the tiering logic, prioritizing memory requests according to the memory state, selecting a location to be precharged with a precharge arbiter, selecting a location to be activated using an activate arbiter, selecting a location to read or write using a read/write arbiter, and precharging, activating and reading or writing according the selections according to availability of the memory.