Best advice anyone can get when looking for a new bike….find one to demo first. If you’re like most of us here you don’t just toss around 2 grand at the drop of a dime. If you can find a bigger event like Outer bike in Crested Butte, many times the manufacturers will let you demo a bike before you decide to buy. I highly suggest this as most people fit differently from bike to bike. A bike that is comfortable to me, may not be anywhere close to what your body composition requires. Also, there are a ton of factors that need thorough thought put into them before purchasing, like…
What kind of trails do you ride? Do you ride terrain regularly? How big of hits are you hucking this bike off of? Is weight a factor for you? Is weight more important than cost? How much travel do you need/want? how much do you weigh?
All of these answers are more personal info that you and you alone hold the answer to. Good luck with the search. Let us know what you end up with and what your thoughts are on the new bike!