Wrapper Objects, Autoboxing, ==

Let us look at the following Java code:

     Integer lInt1 = 5000;
     Integer lInt2 = 5000;
     if (lInt1 != lInt2) {
         System.out.println("Different Objects");
     }
 
     Integer lInt3 = 100;
     Integer lInt4 = 100;
     if (lInt3 == lInt4) {
         System.out.println("Same Object");
     }

When compiled and run, the output will be:

     Different Objects
     Same Object

Apparently, in order to save memory, when using autoboxing to create two instances of the Integer (and Short) wrapper objects, they will be always == if the primitive values that they hold are from -128 to 127. Why on earth would the Java gods only allow this to happen for values from that interval, and not make it for any (legal) value possible?