Just to clarify, the 1054Z isn't just a 'newer version' of a 1052E, it's a totally new/different beast. If you haven't watched this already, you should:
For a complete beginner I think the 1052E will do the job just fine. That said, i'm still on the fence about it's value. Personally I don't think that a used 1052E is still worth 2/3rds of the new 1054Z, even though that seems to be the going price. For how long this lasts for until more people are aware of the 1000Z series and stop paying near-RRP for used 1000E series, your guess is as good as mine.
It took me about 2-3 years and doing an EE degree at the same time to actually outgrow my 1052E and replace it with a 1054Z. I needed 4 channels, the extra features were just a bonus.