Are pointers really faster than

[ShivaniX]

Are pointers really faster than arrays? How much do function
calls slow things down?

[asili prasanna]

The pointer accessing method is more faster than array indexing.

[retheeshsoman]

It is "usually" faster to march through large arrays with pointers rather than array subscripts, but for some processors the reverse is true.
Function calls, though obviously incrementally slower than in-line code, contribute so much to modularity and code clarity that there is rarely good reason to avoid them.
Before rearranging expressions such as i = i + 1, remember that you are dealing with a C compiler, not a keystroke-programmable calculator. Any decent compiler will generate identical code for ++i, i += 1, and i = i + 1. The reasons for using ++i or i += 1 over i = i + 1 have to do with style, not efficiency.