Get a kite made in the last 2 years, at least it should still have some life in it. Technology changes every tear, i upgrade my kites each year and the improvements are amazing. There are some things that you need to look at when buying your first kite, obviously conditions you will be ridding, your weight, board size will all affect kite size, and also the type of kite you get. But there is also, safety, depower, relaunch, turning speed, kite feel, unhookability, pop, lift, drift and a million other things to consider. The main thing people look at is price as it is always going to be a determining factor.

Best bet is to get some lessons, even before you buy any gear, that way you will learn about some of the things you are going to have to decide on when buying a kite. Trying to learn kiteboarding is dangerous and not recommended. The instructor will look at your progression and style and suggest kite and board options that would best suit your progression, look for some reviews on gear suggested you will always find some helpful advice on them.

Welcome to SB

Hi bindle 13
The last real major development in kites was 2006//7 The development of the bow and hybrid.
If your looking to buy a kite go a bow or Hybrid. There are 2011 C kites that I doubt would suit you at the moment. Some of the early bows where dogs, do research on the brands also check the quality of the cloths some brands use cheap cloth that ends up feeling like a T-shirt. Check that it will hold pressure.

As waxman says almost anything less than 2 years old should be ok. Anything older requires a good inspection

In answering the OP's question, he is asking specifically about entry level kites and learners.

I would suggest the biggest leap in entry level kites was the SLE in 2007ish. It allowed significant range and depower through bar release and therefore made "bailing" by letting go of the bar when learning a much safer and effective thing to do. Relaunch was also improved in the SLE and together they made it very easy to "exit" reasonably safely when in trouble and then quickly relaunch for another go. Up until then releasing the bar was by no means a get out of jail free card and was frought with it's own issues.

Since then the only real improvements that will overly effect a beginner is reduction of bar pressure and some better manners (stability). Therefore I would suggest that while there is no doubt a newer kite will almost always be better (some exceptions), for a beginner any entry level kite from 2008 onwards will let you learn technique and progress at a similar rate as newer kites. Popeye arms are a risk though on the early SLE's

Wax, I agree there has been some good progress since then 2008, but the changes/options mainly effect more accomplished kiters who are looking for particular characteristics in a kite, and finer contol. Until you get to a certain level, turning speed, multiple attachment points, response, boost, float, one pump etc really make little difference.