How did early DRAM chips reduce the cost of computer memory?

Early dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) chips significantly reduced the cost of computer memory primarily through their simplified design, which allowed for much higher storage density compared to other technologies like static random-access memory (SRAM).12

The key innovation, developed by Robert H. Dennard in the 1960s, was the one-transistor memory cell. Unlike SRAM, which requires four to six transistors per bit to form a flip-flop, a DRAM cell uses only a single transistor and a capacitor to store data. Because this design uses fewer electrical components, individual memory cells are much smaller, enabling manufacturers to pack significantly more data onto the same size silicon chip.312

While DRAM requires periodic refreshing because the capacitor charge gradually leaks, this trade-off in performance and complexity was offset by the substantial reduction in production costs and power requirements. This high-density, cost-effective architecture became the standard for main memory, eventually facilitating the mass production of personal computers and the development of complex graphical user interfaces.1234