Which characteristic distinguishes DRAM from SRAM?

The characteristic that distinguishes DRAM from SRAM is that DRAM is cheaper and slower than SRAM. Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DRAM) uses capacitors to store each bit of data, which tend to leak charge and require periodic refreshing to maintain the stored data. This process makes DRAM less expensive to manufacture compared to Static Random-Access Memory (SRAM), which uses flip-flops to store data, allowing it to retain information as long as the power is supplied without needing to be refreshed.

Moreover, due to its architecture, DRAM is slower than SRAM. SRAM provides faster access times because it does not require refreshing and can be accessed quicker than DRAM. Therefore, when comparing the two, it is clear that DRAM is both more affordable to produce and slower in performance than SRAM. This distinction is crucial for understanding the use cases where each type of memory is implemented in computer systems.