Welcome to The Gauge slc.
I started mith N scale 1 year ago, I built 2 micro layouts ( 36 " x 25 " ) just to test the water.
One has Fleischmann tracks and the other one uses Atlas track.
The Fleischmann track has a plastic ballast, electro-frogs on the turnouts so a small locomotive has less chance to stall on a turnout. Fleischmann track is expensive but I always wanted to model German prototypes, so I got a Fleischmann starter set.
One month later, at my LHS ( local hobby shop ) I purchased a decent DC controller ( MRC Tech 4 200 ) , a Life Like GP 18 locomotive ,some Atlas track and a couple of manual #4 turnouts.
Atlas track is not expensive, quite reliable for its price ( A Fleischmann turnout is 3 times the price of an Atlas one ). I was impressed and to me Atlas looks like a good beginner track.
On both layouts, I soldered all the rail joiners in order to get 1st class reliability. Imho N scale tracks are very subject to faulty contacts and joint soldering is a must ( and is not that difficult after a few practice )
I wouldn't advise beginners to go the flextrack way, but maybe a good idea would be to use sectionnal track for the majority of their first layout and incorporate a few feet of flextrack just to get the feeling of it.
I have no experience with Kato, but a lot of people swear by it.
As you didn't lay any track yet, if you can afford I highly recommand that you installe a 1" ( or better 2" ) pink extruded styrene on top of the workbench so you'll be able to carve rivers or/and lakes in it.