Under $40: God Tricks Freedom
Under $100: Dietz or Gull Wing
My personal opinion is that you can get some really fine players in the $40-$50 midrange pricing. For me the next step up would be the $70-$100 range. You get some good players here. I have a few. You have to ask yourself if they really play twice as good as the price is twice as much??? They’re nice but I don’t think they play twice as nice.
Beyond that price range, it’s like buying a ferrari - go for it if ya gotz the bucks. 
under $40, protostar
under $100, lots of em
over $100: Xcube, easily outplays anything else, including $200 throws
Under $25, Magic yoyo (Brand)
Under $40, Raptor
Under 40: Lyn Fury
Under 100: Lyn Fury
Get some sillicone and you’ll have a beast of a yo-yo. Also, I’ve never played newer YYJs like the Prelude but from what I’ve heard it’s good. I really like the Lyn though.
Prelude’s nice it’s just a bit lite weight. But over all a fun throw.
Under 40: Protostar, hands down. You are doing yourself a favor by owning one of these
Under 100: Chico Heavy Hitter. Super smooth, super stable, and super underrated. Just try to not like it.
very nice throw indeed, not a big fan tho, but it’s more a taste thing, not because it’s a bad yoyo (which it’s not)
Under 20: Starbrite definitely
Under 60: DM2
Under 100: Burnside Genesis
Over 100: Beserker, Code 2, Evil-Yo
I would say almost any YYJ plastic/metal, Duncan DeLuxxe series, YYF DV888 or $30-35 plastics, Adegle Plastics, and Shinwoo stuffs for best performance for the price.
freakhand, its dead unresponsive once the bearing is cleaned
I hate to be the bringer of bad news, but that describes many, many yoyos.
True, but I just wanted to point out that the response is no longer holding back Duncan plastics, though it does wear out fast its still unresponsive.
I have experienced much yo yos under 40. But for 100 I would say the one drop 54, ignore most yyf’s they aren’t all that stable for a more inexperienced player and their bearings aren’t all that great. Over 100 I really like the Ilyy enigma, or one drop burnside, for tge most part if you pay over 100 for a throw you most likely be satisfied. And if you are really uncertain about a yoyo look up lots of reviews for it. Good luck on your search for your right fit 