Benchmark: timing 1000000 iterations of a, b... a: 15 wallclock secs (14.67 usr + 0.01 sys = 14.68 CPU) @ 68119.89/s (n=1000000) b: 16 wallclock secs (16.41 usr + 0.01 sys = 16.42 CPU) @ 60901.34/s (n=1000000)