I've been riding an Acera-level front-suspension Hardrock through several incarnations for more than a decade now, including a stint as a commuter, and it's served well. I didn't find the cheapo no-damping suspension fork to be a big deal once I maxed out the preload. I wore out the inner chain ring and broke a few spokes on the rear a while back, but any other money spent has been either for preference or self-inflicted damage.

I agree that today's cheapest level MTB's are a bit too junky. I'd definitely spend to get the one with a freehub and damping. But today, at least, that's $550, not $1000.
https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bi...rt-650b/106497

...and that's a Specialized, you might be able to do better with a discount brand.