if i simply want to draw single textured objects, what is faster ?
you cant do that because vertex arrays display where ever you put them.
I thought that the vertex arrays are compiled into the display list
no you can find this in the glNewList documentation:
Certain commands are not compiled into the display list, but are executed immediately, regardless of the display list mode. These commands are glColorPointer, glDeleteLists, glDisableClientState, glEdgeFlagPointer, glEnableClientState, glFeedbackBuffer, glFinish, glFlush, glGenLists, glIndexPointer, glInterleavedArrays, glIsEnabled, glIsList, glNormalPointer, glPopClientAttrib, glPixelStore, glPushClientAttrib, glReadPixels, glRenderMode, glSelectBuffer, glTexCoordPointer, glVertexPointer, and all of the glGet routines.
Vertex arrays are not compiled into a display list, but you can use a vertex array to build a display list. When compiling the display list, the vertex array data is dereferenced and moved into the display list.
I still think the original question has not been answered and I would like to know myself. What is faster display lists or vertex arrays.
depending on how much geometry you draw, display lists are generally faster. however they are static. if you would dynamic geometry and are crunching for speed use compiled vertex arrays.
It also depends on the card and driver do there is not one direct answer for this, but gererally are DLs faster