Re i7 - hyperthreading doesn't give more core time it just makes switching between threads quicker. If you don't intend to use the system for anything other than rendering then possibly an i7 is overkill. There are a number of tech channels on Youtube that review hardware (eg Tek Syndicate - I know they did a review for 8350). They are mainly interested in gaming but there could be something in their review which might help with the decision.