In SQL, is UPDATE always faster than DELETE+INSERT?

Question

Say I have a simple table that has the following fields:

1. ID: int, autoincremental (identity), primary key
2. Name: varchar(50), unique, has unique index<

Answer 1

Keep in mind the actual fragmentation that occurs when DELETE+INSERT is issued opposed to a correctly implemented UPDATE will make great difference by time.

Thats why, for instance, REPLACE INTO that MySQL implements is discouraged as opposed to using the INSERT INTO ... ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE ... syntax.