Ride before you buy.
Ok, it’s not the same bike now, but when I bought my first MTB, I tried a steel Rockhopper, an ali Rockhopper, a couple of bikes fromt he Marin range, and I thought they were sort of ok, but then tried a Clockwork Orange, and it was so much a better bike, even with a lower spec and a higher pricem that it was a no brainer. Then riding the Rockhopper after “just to make sure”, made me realise that for what I wanted, the poor old hopper was hugely inferior in riding position, feel through the frame, geometry/speed of front to turn.
All I am saying, is don’t get focused on any one bike, without trying a few first. There isn’t actually that much difference between a bike that gets 3/5 in a test and 5/5, other than the latter has more advertisingin the magazine, and for YOUR physical shape and type of riding,the unfasionable one might be perfect!