vector::operator[](size_type) in bits/stl_vector.h is currently implemented as
reference operator[](size_type __n) { return *(begin() + __n); } const_reference operator[](size_type __n) const { return *(begin() + __n); } A faster implementation would be: reference operator[](size_type __n) { return _M_impl._M_start[__n]; } const_reference operator[](size_type __n) const { return _M_impl._M_start[__n]; } I tried a simple timing test on both implementations, and the latter appears to be 10x faster: (11:59:43)(charles xyzzy)(~): cat test.cc #include <vector> int main () { std::vector<int> x (100); unsigned long l = 0; const unsigned long iterations = 100000000; for (unsigned long i=0; i<iterations; ++i) l += x[50]; return 0; } (12:00:14)(charles xyzzy)(~): g++ -o test test.cc -lstdc++ (12:00:22)(charles xyzzy)(~): time ./test real 0m2.956s user 0m2.948s sys 0m0.008s (12:00:27)(charles xyzzy)(~): cat test2.cc #include <vector> int main () { std::vector<int> x (100); unsigned long l = 0; const unsigned long iterations = 100000000; for (unsigned long i=0; i<iterations; ++i) l += x._M_impl._M_start[50]; return 0; } (12:00:31)(charles xyzzy)(~): g++ -o test2 test2.cc -lstdc++ (12:00:39)(charles xyzzy)(~): time ./test2 real 0m0.228s user 0m0.228s sys 0m0.000s -- Summary: std::vector operator[] 10x speedup (patch) Product: gcc Version: unknown Status: UNCONFIRMED Severity: enhancement Priority: P3 Component: libstdc++ AssignedTo: unassigned at gcc dot gnu dot org ReportedBy: charles at rebelbase dot com http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=30204