Dating the Exodus today is easy because of archaeology. We have two references to consider.
1. The fall of Jericho, which occurs 40 years after the Exodus.
2. The buildings linked to Solomon.
The fall of LBA Jericho by the Israelites was confirmed by Kathleen Kenyon in her book, "Digging Up Jericho." Basically, she claims the Israelites destroyed Jericho between 1350-1325 BCE. That points to the time of the Exodus as well as limits the time of the Exodus between 1390-1365 BCE. So all we have to do is see which pharaohs were ruling at that time. The pharaohs were Amenhotep III and Akhenaten. Of course, at this point we note that this confirms the historical pharaoh reference by Syncellus of the 8th Century CE as being Amenhotep III. So there is a background historical reference here that is confirmed by the archaeology from Jericho.
If we take the early date for the Exodus in 1390 BC, then the early dating for Solomon would be 914 CE, since the 4th of Solomon is 480 years after the Exodus. This projects Solomon's 40-year rule per the fall of Jericho from 914-874 BCE.
2. Archaeology points to the buildings linked to Solomon to have been built in the "early 9th Century BC" (900-867 BCE). Thus the fall of Jericho and the buildings of Solomon are well coordinated with the Bible's relative chronology for these events. So now there are two archaeological references that point to when the Exodus occurred, which would be at the end of the reign of Amenhotep III and the beginning of the reign of Akhenaten.
So at this point, from a scientific point of view, arguments as to WHEN the Exodus occurred are moot. Those who now want to argue whether or not the Exodus and the ten plagues was a real event or a fable have to make those arguments with specifics to the reign of Amenhotep III and Akhenaten.
For instance, some say that the Exodus must have occurred during the time of Rameses II since the Jews were said to have built a storehouse at Pi-Rameses. But Rameses II ruled for 66 years! The pharaoh of the Exodus was a different pharaoh ruling than when Moses left for his 40-year absence from Egypt. So whoever the Biblical pharaoh is, he has to rule less than 40 years. That's just an academic reality. That leaves out Rameses II as a candidate. But now the question is, did Amenhotep III, who would have died in the Red Sea, rule for less than 40 years? Answer is: Yes!
So it makes an academic difference now if you're trying to dismiss the Exodus during the reign of Rameses II or Amenhotep III.
Same with the arguments of archaeology. Israel Finkelstein, for instance, quotes Kathleen Kenyon and her discovery that Jericho was uninhabited and desolate by the time of Rameses II. So the archaeology is used to challenge the Exodus. But the Exodus reality is only challenged if you date the Exodus during the reign of Rameses II. Finkelstein likes to suggest that the Exodus didn't happen at all since it is disproven to have occurred during the reign of Rameses II, but really all the archaeology confirms is that the Exodus didn't happen during the reign of Rameses II, not that it never happened at all. Thus Finkelstein and others now have to argue why the Exodus didn't happen specifically during the time of Amenhotep III and Akhenaten, since we now have two archaeological references and one several historical references dating the Exodus to the time of Amenhotep III. Point being, dismissing the Exodus as a reality during the time of Rameses II is easy to do, but it is not so easy if you date the Exodus to the time of Amenhotep III.
but of course, we have to eventually address the big elephant in the room here. That is, that Akhenaten for some reason, became a monotheist. He also aggressively suppressed the other gods of Egyopt, calling them "worthless." What prompted Akhenaten to become a monotheist? The real question is, if the 10 plagues really happened in Egypt, what would be the expected impact on the country? How would this impact the country religiously, first. Then economically and in other ways? Well, since the God of the 10 plagues was a monotheistic God, one would not be surprised if Egypt suddenly converted to a monotheistic religion, right? Of course not!
It should be more than obvious, therefore, that the sudden conversion and focus of all of Egypt to monotheism was clearly a result of the 10 plagues. Point being, again, is that it is infinitely more difficult to dismiss the Exodus as a myth during the time of Amenhotep III and Akhenaten, than say, during the reign of Rameses II or some other pharaoh.
In the meantime, of course, it is equally false propaganda to claim the pharaoh of the Exodus is unconfirmed. It isn't.
What about JWs? JWs date the Exodus to 1513 BC. Good for them. That is not where archaeology is pointing. Thus JWs have to find fault with the archaeological dating for Solomon and the fall of Jericho to claim 1513 BC is the true date for the Exodus. But that's on them.
Bottom line is, whether or not you believe the Bible or the Exodus and the 10 plagues was a real event, you have to make those claims in the specific context of occurring at the end of the reign of Amenhotep III now.
Claiming we do not know who the pharaohs of the Exodus were is pure propaganda. We do know. Amenhotep III and Akhenaten. Let's analyze the details of this specific period in the context of the 10 plagues! In fact, there is no other choice now.
