Benchmarking different methods of running for loops

benchmark.py

import pygame
pygame.init()
clock = pygame.time.Clock()
a = list(range(10000000))

def do_with_range():
    clock.tick()
    k = 0
    for idx in range(len(a) - 1):
        a[idx] < a[idx + 1]
    print(clock.tick())

def do_with_xrange():
    clock.tick()
    k = 0
    for idx in xrange(len(a) - 1):
        a[idx] < a[idx + 1]
    print(clock.tick())


def do_with_enumerate():
    clock.tick()
    prev_num = None
    for idx, num in enumerate(a):
        if prev_num is not None:
            prev_num < num 
        prev_num = num        
    print(clock.tick())

output-from-benchmark

>>> from benchmark import *
>>> do_with_range()
1492
>>> do_with_xrange()
977
>>> do_with_enumerate()
955