I have Vue 2014 xstream.  Been using it since version 2 but not serious until a couple of years ago.

Vue plugs into autodesk software like maya and max and xsi but it has bugs. 

Vue, like Poser, will use all the cores of your cpu that you have.  Vue automatically finds them.  Poser might need some manual adjustment.

Models in Vue like Vickie need a plug in for SSS.  Better to stay with Poser Firefly and use Snarly's EzSkin.

Vue does import a scene and if you want to buy the plugins for the skin, you can place your scene in a terrain environment and render. Vue's sky's are great.  Vue is more robuste and photo realistic than Bryce. 

Vue's render engine is slower than Firefox.

Not entirely sure what you want to do, but if I were to make photorealistic portraits, etc, I'd be using PP2014.

That said, if you want an environment creator and are willing to put in some hours at Digital Tutors learning Vue, the price you mentioned seems pretty good.