MOV DPTR, #Abs16,  (3 bytes - 2 cycles)    
    MOVX A, @DPTR      (1 bytes - 2 cycles)
                       (On 12 MHz std 8051 this is 4 uSec)

... in the same time it takes the 6502 to run this type of instruction:
<pre>
    LDA  Abs16Addr     (3 bytes - 4 cycles) 
                       (at 2 MHz this is 4*500nSec