Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver, an Adventure title released on 2023-06-27, presents a demanding workload for the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D paired with the Intel Arc B370. The data shows this combo ranks in the bottom 8% of all tested configurations, at position 2642 out of 2867. While the Ryzen 5 7500X3D is clearly a high-end processor, the integrated Intel Arc B370 GPU severely limits the experience, making 1080p the only resolution where the game consistently hits playable frame rates. The benchmark results indicate a system that is heavily GPU-bound, where even a modest resolution drop yields significant performance gains.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is stark and reveals a system where the GPU is the absolute bottleneck. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 73 FPS at 1920x1080 to 55 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 18 FPS. Moving to 3840x2160, the average drops further to 37 FPS, representing a total loss of 36 FPS from 1080p. This steep decline is characteristic of a GPU that lacks the raw pixel throughput for high-resolution rendering. The scaling is not linear; the jump from 1440p to 4K incurs a 18 FPS loss, which is the same absolute drop as the jump from 1080p to 1440p, but on a smaller base frame rate, meaning a more significant relative performance hit.

This pattern is consistent across all settings. At Low settings, 1080p yields 98 FPS, but this plummets to 74 FPS at 1440p and then to 49 FPS at 4K. The data suggests that the Intel Arc B370's rendering capabilities are saturated quickly. The 4K results, ranging from 33 FPS at Ultra to 49 FPS at Low, are all below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, indicating that 4K is not a viable resolution for this combination in Dave The Diver, regardless of the quality preset chosen. The frame rate is clearly limited by the pixel fill rate and shading power of the integrated GPU, not the CPU.

The scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a performance reduction of roughly 50% at High settings (73 FPS to 37 FPS) and about 50% at Low settings (98 FPS to 49 FPS). This consistent halving of frame rates as pixel count quadruples points directly to the GPU's fillrate limits. The CPU, with its high single-thread score of 3494 in the Passmark single-thread test, is not the limiting factor here. Instead, the data shows that the Arc B370, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184, simply does not have the bandwidth or compute resources to maintain performance at higher resolutions. The system is a clear example of GPU-bound scaling.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is the definitive limiting component in this configuration. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184 places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals are the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (score 1186, deltaPct -0.2) and the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (score 1190, deltaPct -0.5). This places it in the performance tier of decade-old discrete graphics cards, which is a significant challenge for a modern game like Dave The Diver. The GPU's boost clock is 2400 MHz, and it features 1280 shading units, but its performance is more indicative of its memory architecture being "System Shared" with "System Dependent" bandwidth. This dependency on system memory, rather than dedicated VRAM, is a major factor in its low scores.

The "System Shared" memory size and type mean the GPU has no dedicated video memory. This forces it to compete with the CPU for memory bandwidth on the system's DDR5 bus, a bottleneck that is particularly punishing at higher resolutions where larger frame buffers are needed. The benchmark data reflects this, as the FPS drops are dramatic when moving to 4K. The GPU's pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s and its texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s, but these theoretical figures are not translating into playable frame rates at 4K, with a maximum average of just 49 FPS at Low settings. The 25 W TDP for the GPU also indicates its integrated nature and limited power budget.

The data confirms that the GPU is the primary constraint. At 1080p, the combo achieves a relatively playable 82 FPS at Medium settings, but the GPU's limitations become apparent at 1440p and 4K. The Arc B370's performance is so low that it effectively negates the strengths of the Ryzen 5 7500X3D. The GPU is not a companion to the CPU; it is a severe bottleneck. The fact that the GPU's nearest rival in performance is the ATI Radeon HD 5770, a card from a different era, underscores how underpowered this integrated solution is for a game released in 2023. The "System Shared" memory further compounds the issue, as it lacks the dedicated bandwidth of a discrete card.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific configuration of the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D and Intel Arc B370 ranks at 2642 out of 2867 tested combos in Dave The Diver. This places it in the bottom 8% of all systems, a position that is almost entirely attributable to the GPU. The rank highlights a stark mismatch between the CPU and GPU. The Ryzen 5 7500X3D is a high-performing processor, with a Passmark multithread score of 25047 and an average benchmark score of 44573, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest CPU rivals include the Intel Core i9-13950HX (score 44342, deltaPct 0.5) and the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 (score 44309, deltaPct 0.6), indicating it is a top-tier CPU.

Yet, the combo's rank is poor because the GPU's performance is so low. The data shows that the CPU has the potential to drive much higher frame rates, but it is starved by the GPU. The combo rank is not a measure of the CPU's capability; it is a measure of the system's overall gaming performance, and the Intel Arc B370 drags it down. The GPU's 5th percentile ranking and its proximity to the ATI Radeon HD 5770 in benchmark scores mean that in gaming, this combo performs more like a system from a much older era. The 89th percentile CPU is effectively wasted in this pairing.

The deltaPct values for the CPU's rivals are all within 0.7% of its score, showing that the processor is in a tightly contested, high-performance tier. In contrast, the GPU's rivals are all within 1.4% of its score, but that score is fundamentally low. This means that while the CPU is competing with the best, the GPU is competing with the worst. The combo rank of 2642 out of 2867 is a direct consequence of this imbalance. The benchmark results indicate that to get a better rank, the GPU would need to be replaced with a discrete solution, as the current one is the primary factor in the system's low standing.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the resolution is playable but not consistently smooth at all settings. Low settings produce an average of 98 FPS, which is excellent. Medium settings yield an average of 82 FPS, with a minimum of 70 FPS and a maximum of 94 FPS, indicating a decent experience. High settings drop the average to 73 FPS, and Ultra settings bring it down to 65 FPS. The data shows that 1080p is the only resolution where the combo can approach high refresh rates, but only at Low and Medium settings. At High and Ultra, the frame rates are still playable but leave no headroom for demanding scenes.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance becomes more constrained. Low settings provide an average of 74 FPS, which is still playable. Medium settings average 62 FPS, with a minimum of 52 FPS and a maximum of 71 FPS, which is a borderline experience for fast-paced action. High settings drop to an average of 55 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 49 FPS. The data shows that at 1440p, the system is struggling to maintain 60 FPS at Medium settings, and the lower minimum frame rates (52 FPS) suggest potential stuttering.

At 3840x2160, the resolution is not viable for smooth gameplay. Low settings produce an average of 49 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target. Medium settings average 41 FPS, with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 47 FPS, showing a significant performance dip. High settings average 37 FPS, and Ultra settings average just 33 FPS. The data clearly shows that 4K is beyond the capabilities of this combo. The minimum frame rate of 35 FPS at Medium settings indicates that the experience would be choppy and unpleasant. The system is firmly a 1080p gaming solution for this title, with 1440p being a compromise at best.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 7000 series, based on the Raphael codename and Zen 4 architecture. It has a base clock of 4.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz, with a TDP of 65 W. The processor features a large 96 MB shared L3 cache, which is a hallmark of the X3D series and is designed to improve gaming performance. Its Passmark scores are strong, with a single-thread score of 3494 and a multithread score of 25047, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. This data confirms that the CPU is not a bottleneck in this system.

However, the benchmark results in Dave The Diver show that the CPU's power is untapped. The frame rates are consistently low, and the scaling from 1080p to 4K is steep, which is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see frame rates that are more consistent across resolutions. Instead, the data shows a clear GPU limit. The CPU's high L3 cache and fast boost clock are irrelevant when the GPU can only produce 37 FPS at 4K High settings. The processor is waiting for the GPU to render frames, not the other way around.

The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i9-13950HX and AMD Ryzen AI Max 385, have nearly identical average benchmark scores, with deltaPct values of 0.5% and 0.6% respectively. This indicates that the 7500X3D is in a class of high-performance processors. Its Passmark data encryption score of 15797 and floating point math score of 43594 further demonstrate its compute capabilities. In this game, though, the CPU is effectively idle. The data suggests that the Ryzen 5 7500X3D has more than enough processing power for Dave The Diver, and the only thing holding back performance is the integrated graphics. The processor's role is to feed the GPU, and the GPU is unable to keep up.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings to play Dave The Diver with this combo?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 with Low settings is the smoothest experience, yielding an average of 98 FPS. For a balance of quality and performance, 1080p Medium settings are also viable, with an average of 82 FPS and a minimum of 70 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Dave The Diver?

A: No. The benchmark results show that 4K performance is consistently below 50 FPS, with Ultra settings averaging just 33 FPS and Low settings averaging 49 FPS. The minimum frame rate at 4K Medium is 35 FPS, indicating a choppy experience.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184 is nearly identical to the ATI Radeon HD 5770's score of 1190, with a deltaPct of -0.5%. It is also very close to the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (score 1186, deltaPct -0.2%). This places it in a performance tier with much older hardware.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in this configuration?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the sole bottleneck. The Ryzen 5 7500X3D scores in the 89th percentile for CPUs, while the Arc B370 scores in the 5th percentile for GPUs. The steep frame rate drops from 1080p to 4K are a classic sign of a GPU limit.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings average 74 FPS, while Ultra settings average 49 FPS. This is a 25 FPS difference, showing that the GPU has a significant impact on quality settings. Medium settings are in between, with an average of 62 FPS.

Q: Given the CPU's strong benchmark scores, why is the gaming performance so low?

A: The CPU's high Passmark scores (e.g., multithread score of 25047) are irrelevant in this game because the GPU cannot render frames fast enough. The system is heavily GPU-bound, meaning the processor is waiting for the Intel Arc B370 to complete its work. The CPU is not being utilized to its full potential.