Conclusion:
Corsair has a very interesting product on their hand with the Nautilus 500. Their second foray into water cooling brings about many changes, and the most significant is the absolutely quick and easy installation process. The whole process took me about 15 minutes, and that time may be much longer than average simply because I was taking pictures and checking everything two or three times to make sure it was correct.
All of the components of the Nautilus 500 are good quality, and although you may easily find individual components available elsewhere with nicer features, the overall bundle is more than adequate for reliable performance on any of the CPUs covered by the universal design (775, 478, 754, 939, or 940). In addition to being well made, the components offer conveniences like the quick connect fittings with check valves to minimize leaks and an easily accessible fill port with illuminated level gauge.
The performance of the Corsair Nautilus 500 is respectable, but can not be considered extreme. It kept the test system's processor (an Intel D840) just a few degrees cooler than while air cooled and still created a good deal of noise. Enthusiasts generally want water cooling for either extreme cooling or low noise operation, and the Nautilus offered neither. The system instead seems to be designed for an introduction to water cooling that keeps the end user's budget in mind.
According to PriceGrabber, you should expect to pay about $150 for the Corsair Nautilus 500 kit. While this kit isn't expensive compared to some of the high end offerings on the market, it doesn't really compare to those. As compared to similar all inclusive CPU only kits from Thermaltake, Cooler Master, Kingwin, and Swiftech the price is competitive, if not just a bit on the high side. What you do get for your money is just about the easiest and quickest installation you could ask for in water cooling. If simplicity is your goal, the Nautilus will help you achieve it for a fair price.
Comparing the price to air cooling isn't fair, either. The test system used a Tuniq Tower 120 CPU Cooler which is quite expensive for an air cooler, with a retail price of around $50 (US). While it may cost more than many other air coolers, it is about 1/3 the price of the Nautilus 500 and it provides comparable temperatures with the ability to operate much more quietly.
Given the super simple installation and quality components, I award the Corsair Nautilus External CPU Water Cooling Unit a final score of 4 out of 5 stars.
Final Rating (4 out of 5 stars): 
Pros:
» No need to remove motherboard to mount CPU waterblock!
» Simple installation
» Quality components
» Includes quick connect fittings with check valves
» Easy option for a first timer
» Kit comes complete with all you need but the distilled water
» Good documentation
Cons:
» Decent cooling, not extreme cooling
» Could be / should be quieter
» Socket 775 bracket seems far less durable than all others
Special thanks to Corsair for providing the Nautilus External CPU Water Cooling Unit to Bigbruin.com for review!
Please drop by the Bigbruin.com Forum and feel free to post any comments or questions.
|
|
