TechReport compared two interesting water cooling kits on the market are Corsair's new Nautilus500 and Zalman's Reserator 1 Plus. Both are second generation kits, and while Zalman's design is a refinement of the original Reserator, the Nautilus500 is all-new for Corsair. Each offers a different take on water cooling, as well. The Reserator targets low noise levels, while the Nautilus aims for ease of installation. But which kit is best for you?

As was Corsair's intention, the Nautilus500's strength is easily its affordability and ease of installation. With a street price of just $150, the Nautilus is significantly more affordable than the Reserator, and snaps together with much less effort. More impressively, however, the Nautilus' affordability hasn't hurt its cooling performance. The unit delivers significantly lower CPU temperatures than the Reserator, making it a much better choice for overclockers looking to dissipate extra heat.

While the Nautilus' affordability doesn't impede its cooling performance, it does rear its head in the aesthetics department. The black plastic external radiator unit isn't particularly attractive, especially next to the Reserator's artfully machined aluminum tower. Dull visual appeal is a relatively minor issue when compared with the Nautilus' noise levels, though. Even at the lowest fan speed setting, which still delivers stellar cooling performance, the Nautilus is loud enough that I wouldn't want it in my living room. Those who crave silence should definitely stay away.

As it turns out, the Nautilus500's greatest weakness is the Reserator 1 Plus' strongest suit. Like its predecessor, the Reserator is barely audible, making it a boon for silent computing enthusiasts who want better cooling performance than quiet air coolers like the CNPS9500 can provide. The Reserator's CPU temperatures weren't nearly as spectacular as those of the Nautilus, though, so it's definitely more appropriate for home theater PC projects than overclocked gaming rigs.

Of course, the Reserator's relative silence doesn't come cheap. The cooler sells for around $230 online, which will be enough to send some users into sticker shock. That's not to say that the Reserator is overpriced. The additional cost is easily justified by extra features like the GPU block and flow indicator, and by the decadence that is the two-foot aluminum radiator tower. You won't find any dull plastic here, just lots of machined aluminum and an exquisite anodized finish.