Any recommendations for a good novice/mid-level chess computer?

How about buying / downloading one of the Fritz chess programs from Chessbase.com? The software's play is quite challenging, and it features great analysis and database functions.

I've heard good things about Fritz, and other chess programs.  I'm undecided...I like the feel of an actual board and real pieces, however, to a computer screen....

One thing to think about is , only the more expensive ones let you play as black. But you are in your price range for sure.

Check out chesshouse.com they might not have the best prices on everything but they do have all the manuals for them at the bottom of the page which is a big help. Good luck and let us know what kind you get. I'd like to get one myself :)

http://www.chesshouse.com/electronic_chess_s/5.htm

If you like the feel of real pieces, then this one is worth a look:

http://www.chess.com/eq/chess+computers/novag-obsidian

It's a good choice, I think. Tricky to beat (for me) even on the dumbed-down levels. Wood pieces are definitely a plus.

I compared it to the Mephisto Master, which I thought was the only other contender. The Mephisto is stronger (not that I needed stronger), but the obsidian's wooden pieces and larger board won me over.

@DeepGreene , I've been eyeing that one for a long time. I like the LCD and led, the wood pieces, pretty sure it's easily set up for you to play black. Like the bag too. DeepGreene you have ALL the cool stuff.

I was 11-years old when I get the Kasparov Team-mate chesscomputer, it was 25 years ago. It played fast most easiest level and that time I never win it. After I started to play Chessmaster, I learned that Team-mate did not understand much about sacrifices or passed pawns, but that time I was already about 25-years old. Hard levels Team-mate plays pretty good but it will think very long time. I think because 25-year has really changed computers today they are pretty good opponents. My old Team-mate works fine even today. It cost that time 790 Finland markkaa thats about 130 euro. I do not use that anymore often, because I like play Chessmaster grand master edition (10Th edition is almost same) or Fritz 11. I even have Kasparov chess in my mobile phone, it do not play well, but sometimes I play chess with it. Now I have liked to play online-chess in uchess.com and playok.com. Today I came chess.com and I have some troubles to start playing here. But I find out what I do wrong. When I visited chess.com many years ago, I thought that here people play only very long games and I forgot this place. Today I noticed that here can play fast games too. (I try tom play but I could do only one move. I try again, but not today, because I can't use my computer 2 or 3 days. (I go to my friend home, who has no computer and we take some alcohol. But I will come back.

I understand what you mean when you say you likethe look and feel of an actual board and pieces.  I'm the same way.  However, today's stand-alone chess computers pale in comparison to all the benefits of chess software. 

With $300 to spend, I would instead put that towards a quality wood chessboard and pieces.

Today's chess software is not only MUCH stronger in playing strength, the ability to step forward and backward in a game, instantly load games and positions, analyze thes games and positions with multiple chess engines, watch engine vs engine matches, etc., etc., etc., make using chess software over a stand-alone computer a no-brainer.

Buy a good chess set and put it in front of you, in front of your computer, and then you have the best of both worlds.

MrEdCollins:   Thanks for the advice.  I have been doing some research concerning software...and that route is seeming to me like the logical way to go.   I can't believe how far chess software has come in the last dozen years...quite amazing.   Now for my next question:   Fritz 13 or Rybka4?    Thanks to all who helped me out.

I already replied to your last question in a different post.  Basically...

If you're looking for an engine, I recommend Houdini (1.5a or 2.0), over anything else.  Stockfish, Rybka, and Critter are all a close 2nd.  Fritz, Shredder and others would be a close third.  But there is no reason not to have as many freeware engines as you want.  I probably have twenty to thirty of them.  You can freely switch back and forth and compare all of them, have engine matches against each other, etc.

If you're looking for an interface (GUI) then WinBoard is my favorite.  Others like Arena, which I don't care for at all.  ChessBase and Shredder (Classic) are decent interfaces, as is Scid vs PC.  Tarrash is an up and coming interface which has show improvements with its last version. 

But as far as these freeware GUIs are concerned, simply download all of them and try each one out for yourself.

Nice article, despite the fact it's ten years old:

http://www.chessbase.com/support/support.asp?pid=213