Array index lookup versus Instance field lookup

Question

Is someArray[index] a faster way to get to a value than someObject.field?

E.G.:

if(intArray[i] == 42) {//do stuff}

VS

if(someObject.x == 42) {//do stuff}

I will try to test it soon and post the results; just wondering if you all had any thoughts.

Answer 1

I would expect the using the array element to be a lot quicker since the reference points directly to the value to be retrieved.

When you reference a member on an Object field, the runtime has to determine which class the member belongs to and so on, and the process will take longer.