Meta Glasses - which Model represents the best value?

I'd personally recommend the gen 2 to extend longevity. I imagine it won't be too long before planned obsolescence rears its ugly head, and the first gen models become useless, especially when you consider this is a very expensive phone accessory rather than being a standalone product. The second generation model is supposed to have significantly better battery life, so that alone might be a good reason to get it even if planned obsolescence doesn't concern you.
I'm watching this space very closely, but this is exactly why I haven't purchased any of these products yet. I don't like the idea of throwing away perfectly good expensive hardware just because the battery goes bad in 2 to 4 years. I wish we had the option to purchase a $100 pair of glasses with a camera that communicates exclusively over Bluetooth and thus shouldn't become obsolete so quickly, as the only reason I want a system like this is for hands-free visual interpretation with apps like AIRA, Be My Eyes, etc. It would also be nice if said cheap glasses had an easily replaceable battery, but I can dream, right?

11/10.

I would definitely get at least the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2. They have double the battery life of the Gen 1 (8 hours of normal usage vs 4 hours) and the case also provides more extra charges. For myself, I'm getting the Blayzer Optics model, because the Scriber and Blayzer are supposed to be more comfortable when wearing them for long periods than the other models. However, if the Gen 1 already feel comfortable enough for you, and if you don't need perscription lensens, you can just get the regular Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 because those are the only differences. The Scriber and Blayzer have more extendable hinges that let the glasses not feel as tight on your head, and nose pads, and possibly other changes but I am not sure yet.

You could also get the Oakley Meta Vanguard, because they have slightly more battery life (9 hours vs 8 hours), louder speakers, and an action button, which you can assign a shortcut to. For example, you could assign a shortcut that triggers a prompt like "Hey Meta, what am I looking at?" when you press the button, meaning you do not have to talk to your glasses in quiet environments like classrooms or meetings. The Vanguard also has the camera in the center rather than on the side and has a wider field of view, so the camera might see more things around you. The Vanguard are also wrap-around glasses, just so you know, so if you care about the style that might be a consideration. I am not sure how their level of comfort compares to the other models. I might end up buying the Vanguard in addition to the Blayzer and wear each one in different situations.

Also, the Blayzer and Scriber models have a sixth microphone, in addition to the five on the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2, which should improve audio quality for calls and reliability of voice commands. The cameras are supposed to be more discrete as well, and they record horizontal video rather than vertical. https://groups.io/g/SmartGlasses/topic/fw_tech_vi_ray_ban_meta/118843330