Smooth depends on your perception, draw length, the amount of pre-load in the bow's design.......2-3 pounds per inch is smooth in my opinion. There's quite a few bows on the market that will deliver that.

Best? HUGE can of worms there. Usually the answer you get will be the bow the person replying owns. There is no one "best" for everyone. A friend of mine's "best" bow is an old Bear--butt-ugly bow, but he can shoot it like it has a scope on it.

Besides opinions, a few things to consider when you are looking, especially if you are buying new:

Warranty--does the bowyer/manufacturer stand behind their work?

Reputation--do they have an all-around good reputation? Not just on the message boards--often negative comments aren't allowed on the boards, for different reasons.

Longevity--how long have they been around? Can you rely on them to be in business next year?

Customer Service--can you get help ordering, get your questions answered in a timely manner, get advice on what bow should work best for you?

These are some of the things I consider. Your budget does limit you a good bit, but you can still get a bow as good as any if you look. More expensive doesn't always mean better--quite often it means you see more advertising--that ain't cheap, and the cost has to be covered somewhere.

That's my 2 cents.

Chad