Opinions on first downhill bike?

Hello all! New to vital mtb! I'm coming from motocross and wanted to get into downhill riding. I live in socal so there's plenty of mountains/spots/events to ride. I was looking into getting a hard tail first as a practice bike and plan on getting a dedicated downhill bike when things get serious.

I am currently looking at the Specialized hard rock sport (disc/26) and Specialized P.street 1 (disc/26).
The hard rock sport looks like an overall great bike but idk how it'll do downhill or on jumps.
The P.street 1 looks solid for jumping but idk how it is on trails or up hills with the gearing. (Street tires would be changed).

Does anyone have personal experience on either bike or suggestions on different brands for around $600-$800?
I know price point is key when buying a mtb bike and for my price range, it looks like the 2 specialized bikes comes equipped with some good hardware too. I have two LBS that sell giant, specialized, cannondale, felt, Scott, GT, etc. so my choices aren't limited. Both shops are nice too so I don't want to buy a bike based on the shop, I want the best bike I can get. I plan on doing mostly trail riding, downhill, super d, and leisure rides around town. Like I said I raced motocross so I know bike mechanics and how to ride (my profile pic is of me on my friends downhill bike) so I need a bike that can bomb down hills and take the abuse but also go on a nice 5-10 mile ride around town. Sorry about the ramble, I wanted to be as specific as possible.