I am currently riding a new Specialized Stumpjumper Comp Aluminum hard tail. I came with Rockshox Reba 90mm travel on the front. After messing with the pressure a little it is now setup very nicely and handles my 220lbs without any problem. My old Carve (was stolen and replaced with the Stumpjumper) had a Rockshox Recon gold on it. I adjusted the air pressure and it worked great!
The other thing to think about it the quality of the brakes. My Carve had Avid Elixer 1 hydraulics and I could not stand them. They were very noisy, and in my opinion underpowered. My new rig has Magura MTS hydraulics front and rear and they seem to work much better. They are also quiet and don't vibrate like the Elixers did.
As for gearing. My Stumpjumper has a 2X10 setup with a 38/24 in the front and 11-36 in the rear. That super low gear really helps on the steep climbs.
Good luck with your final decision.