First, I’ll second Bike Nerd on Giant Trance 29 particularly if your trails are rocky. I prefer 27.5″ on my upper Midwest dirt, but when I go out west/southwest on the rocks, 29″ is the way to go. I just rented the Giant Trance in PHX/Sedona and its a great ride for a relatively reasonable pricetag.
Second, I’ve been researching my next ride and the two value choices that keep popping up are YT Jeffsy and Vitus Mythique specifically the VRX model (Chain Reaction & Wiggle).
Third, unfortunately you’re likely in for some frustration finding inventory right now. High demand and Supply disruptions are making things tough. Good luck!