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sometimes you can have a couple cards that are reprints, like smother in worldwake, but mostly all the cards will be new.

Alright, so magic sets usually go like this:

Core Sets: a wide variance of cards, it used to be all reprints until Magic 2010 came out. Since then, Wizards has said it'll be half old and half new cards.
Ex: Magic 2010, Tenth Edition, 9th Edition.

Expansion Sets: Expansions usually come in a 'block' format of three expansions, known as 'sets'. The first in a block to be released (generally) is a large set, with 300-400 cards, with the following 2 sets in the block being smaller, 150-200. Wizards is condensing their sizes, so 145 for a 'small' set is going to be the norm. Zendikar block, comprised of Zendikar, the soon-to-be-released Worldwake, and Rise of the Eldrazi (also unreleased) will be breaking that standard, having a large set, a small set, and then another large set. Cards in expansion sets will usually be new, with the occasional reprint of older cards. This varies from set to set.

Just to avoid possible future disappointment, Wizards has set that M11 will feature fewer reprints than previously released in M10. I can't recall the exact number I gave- I want to say a quarter- but there you have it.

Otherwise, what NightLoki said so well. :)

Thanks for the replies.

That clarifies things a bit. As I said, I just got into this, so it's a bit overwhelming on where I should start.

I did just buy a lot of 2010/M10 core sets. So hopefully that 50/50 will allow me to catch up on the game. :)

If you know what you like singles will probably be better for everything except the really rare occurence of finding a stupidly expensive card in a $2 booster (<3's his Path).

In a similar vein as to the original question: does anyone know what the arrangement of cards is in the various products? # of rares, uncommons, commons and so on in a booster vs an intro pack. I know intro's usually also include land so strictly speaking it might be more worth it to buy equivalent money's worth in boosters...

Boosters are arranged as such:

1 Rare, 3 Uncommons, 10 Commons, 1 Basic Land, 1 tip card or token.

1 in 8 rares (approximately) are Mythic Rares, and I don't know the odds, but sometimes you get a Foil card along with the pack (any rarity).