poker tracker -vs- poker office

[agar316]

I know this has been posted before in other sections of the forum but since I'm a beginner and have gotten some excellent beginners advice I wanted to post the question here. Which is better for beginning players? The only reason I ask is because I can get a free copy of Poker Office by signing up with Empire and generating 250 raked hands. Along with that you also get the 20% first time deposit bonus. Great deal if you ask me. The one thing that keeps bugging me though is am I making a mistake by not getting Poker Tracker. As a beginning player is Poker Tracker an absolute necessity and should I eat the $55 cost and buy it? Any links to back to old discussions about this would also be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

-Anthony