Well This is in my opinion
Software is cheap, and portable (You can have it in your laptop), music are easy to edit and resources are everywhere online. Software are always updated and does not require a lot of space.
On the other hand Equipments like MPC keyboard are expensive, it consumes a lot of space, you can't just keep it inside your bag, and sometimes when you transfer music, the music quality is not exactly the same of what you hear originally from the equipment.
Of course both software have advantages and disadvantages but I think the use of software is much better for starters since training video and tutorials are available online.