Larry, it really depends on the individual user and how his/her computer is configured.
While some folks have reported slower render times, others have reported much faster times.
You pay your money and you take your chances :-)

9e- one step forward and 3 steps back
 

Here we go again Sony...I can load my files fast and now preview terrible.
Also importing from multiple dvds - i must close and reopen Vegas after each DVD or it hangs.
I miss the sonic foundry days - before Sony bought Vegas and started choking it to death.

Sorry about your luck Jay...I personally had bad luck with version 8 and first versions of 9. I second Mike's comment...in my case preview with 9.0e is improved and overall timeline performance is much better...PCs are inherently difficult to program for with the zillions of configurations out here.

Smooth...
 

Using win7 with single i7 CPU and BlackMagic Decklink on Vegas 9e - everything is better than ever. Connected the EX3 and loaded the device explorer, immediately browsed and previewed a few clips over USB 2, then transferred them and dropped them on timeline from the project media windows. Zero frustration.