Hi Dave, Kates is right. Vue beats Bryce BIG time in vegetation especially their "growth engine". Take drive, download the demo...version 2 I think and gauge for yourself like what Kate said.."personal taste. Have you try "Terragen"...I just luv using their "water". Every program wanabe wannabe the other and better but that's far from now but not impossible. As to your question of speed, there is no fix answer as far as I know. It depends on your hardware configuration to your skill in use of the software besides the rendering engine. It hard to compare rendering speed as to which is faster unless both have exactly the same things except different product name..example, my image is just seen..bryce do not have the vegetation for a start. Anyway, take my words, you never regret you buy Vue'd Esprit 3. I am waitng for Terragen full version 1 (version o.8 is gonna be out this moth). Its a FOC program..try it and try all and you have a better feel. I still like my Bryce but use little. Bill