If you were comparing Norns and an Octatrack there’s a whole lot of apples and oranges issues. I’ve owned both, and currently loving the Norns; but like all monome gear, you get the best out of it if you’re also interested in diving in to how it works. It’s also in development and so expect a few rough edges to have to sort out. If you happen to be interested in programming and Linux systems as well as curious musical devices then the Norns is an amazing sweet spot.
The Octatrack also has a steep learning curve but probably can do more out of the box, especially if you’re already familiar with Elektron’s way of working.
Both can be used and shaped in many different ways if you put in the work so there’s not a clear comparison to make.