...that is the question. And the answer should usually be "no". Surprised? Well, maybe you should be. Because normally speaking we all place more value in the technique that takes the most time, that is, photo real. But as we can see from examples around us, investing more (time in this case) does not always equal a better visual. So, this paragraph is the last chance you have to change your mind and go for a simple native SketchUp output, a watercolor style, or other Non Photo Real (NPR) which will be less investment and perhaps bring you a better outcome for what you want. If that's the case, you can just skip over this chapter for now and go straight to Chapter 7, Non Photo Real with SketchUp.
So, what are the benefits of texturing? If done well, texturing can:
Reduce the amount of detail you need to model
Allow you to use lower render settings to get the same realism
Increase render speed (especially important for animations)
Allow almost photo real viewing...