I've had rift, rift s and quest 2 so far and none of those have disappointed. Nowdays u obviously want to get the quest 2. Link cable is optional as it supports experimental wireless option (which works fine). However with link cable you don't have to worry about battery, so would recommend getting one anyways. It is basically very long usb-c cable. Also get the "better" head strap accessory if you want to get most out of it. Would not get the extra battery tho, as u don't want to add extra weight.
What comes to image quality, quest 2 offers more than enough clarity to most users. Rift S is not much worse, so if u want cheap second hand option, I bet those are worth checking out. Older Rift has much worse screen and doesn't really cut it compared to others anymore. However it doesn't "suck" either.
...and at least my basic quest 2 pack came with spacer for those who want to use it with glasses.