The invention relates to methods and systems for reading a memory cell and in particular, an STT MRAM. In one example, a system for reading a memory cell includes a sense path and an inverse path. A reference current is provided through the sense path and is sampled via a first sampling element in the sense path, and a cell current from the memory cell is provided through the inverse sense path and is sampled via a second sampling element in the inverse sense path. Subsequently, the memory cell is disconnected from the inverse sense path, the cell current is provided through the sense path, the reference source is disconnected from the sense path, and the reference current is provided through the inverse sense path. The output levels are then determined by the cell and reference currents working against the sampled reference and sampled cell currents.