First off, putting C and C++ in the same category is plain wrong. One is a low level language, and the other is a high level language with tons of features, and

First off, putting C and C++ in the same category is plain wrong. One is a low level language, and the other is a high level language with tons of features, and rich libraries. When it comes to performance, you either require it or you don't. There is no place in between. When performance is a requirement, C++ can be a very good option. It's a great balance between performance and high level feature set. With experience, we (programmers) become more pragmatic and get better at picking the right tool for the job.