[Majromax]

The version with the print statement requires the branch because it's conditionally executed; the 'continue' statement in the if-block will skip it if the loop finds a new maximum.

Since the function-with-if version requires a branch, there's no advantage (regardless of predictability) in using a conditional move for the assignment to maximum.

[kaba0]

So basically the print prevents an optimization, that so happens to hinder performance in this particular case?