The Water Block:

The waterblock comes with tubing pre-installed to make the end user's final installation that much easier. As shown in the below left image, two lengths of clear tubing are affixed to the waterblock's fittings with hose clamps. Taking a closer look at the below right image shows that the arrangement isn't flashy by any means, but hopefully they focused on function over form in this case!


The waterblock uses Delphi Micro-Channel Technology which simply means that the passage inside the block is setup so that many tiny channels are created in the copper in order to allow the greatest surface area for heat exchange. As shown in the below left image, the copper base ships with a protective plastic film to prevent damage or corrosion. With the film remove (below right image), we see that it may not have done its job in this case! Although the block is smooth and flat, it is tarnished all around the edges. I have looked at several other reviews of the Nautilus 500 and haven't seen anything like this, and most reviewers seemed to have received a waterblock with a shiny, mirror-like base. Not sure what happened here, but the important area seems to be in good enough shape for use.


Accessories:

The Corsair Nautilus includes all the accessories you might need for installation, except for distilled water. The first items to address are the mounting brackets for the various CPUs supported. In the below left image we have a bracket for Socket 478, one for LGA 775, and one for AMD Socket 754, 939, and 940. The below right image shows off the electrical accessories, which includes a rubberized cable to send power to the unit, as well as to receive fan speed and pump speed signals from the unit. There is also a PCI bracket with a connection to accept this cable and distribute the various wires to the correct connections inside the system. The two tubes for conveying coolant also pass through this bracket, and the U-shaped cut outs make that possible.


Next we have the balance of the accessories. Among other things, there is a foam pad that installs above the waterblock, a syringe of thick white thermal paste, quick connect fittings to add to the tubing once cut to length, and a variety of mounting hardware. The four white plastic pieces with what looks like a trident on either end is what you use to attach this kit to a LGA 775 motherboard. Although it does allow you to install with removing the motherboard, the LGA 775 hardware seems far less robust than what is provided for other sockets.


The above right image shows a bottle of Corsair Cool water additive. You pour the entire contents into the system before adding distilled water in order to boost cooling performance. The ingredients include 94-96% Propylene Glycol, 3% water, and 1-3% proprietary additives. Ooh, a secret ingredient!