Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver is not a demanding title by modern standards, but the data for this specific combination of an AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D and an Intel Arc B390 reveals a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics processor. The measured frames per second (FPS) show a clear pattern: the Arc B390, which sits at the 9th percentile of all GPUs in the database, is the primary bottleneck at every resolution and setting tier. The CPU, by contrast, is a high-end part that never comes close to being the limiting factor in this adventure game, making the overall experience a study in how a powerful processor can be held back by a weak integrated graphics solution.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent, clearly indicting the GPU as the limiting component. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 81 FPS at 1920x1080 to 61 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 41 FPS at 3840x2160. That is a 49.4% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario; if the CPU were the constraint, the frame rate would remain relatively flat as resolution increases, because the processor's workload would stay the same while the GPU struggles to render more pixels. Here, the workload on the GPU is rising sharply with pixel count, and the Arc B390's modest performance—with a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482—cannot keep pace.

The trend is even more pronounced when examining the Low preset. The system manages 108 FPS at 1080p, which is a very playable number, but this drops to 82 FPS at 1440p and then plummets to 55 FPS at 4K. The delta between 1080p and 4K here is 53 FPS, or a 49.1% decrease. This suggests that even when the graphical load is lightened, the sheer pixel count at 4K overwhelms the GPU. The data indicates that the Arc B390 is simply not designed for 4K gaming in this title; even the most efficient settings cannot push the average above 55 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold often considered the baseline for a smooth experience.

The scaling from High to Ultra at each resolution also reinforces the GPU bottleneck. At 1440p, moving from High to Ultra costs 7 FPS (61 to 54), and at 1080p, it costs 9 FPS (81 to 72). These are consistent penalties that reflect the incremental increase in shader and texture work, which the GPU must handle. The CPU's role remains static and unchallenged. The Ryzen 7 5700X3D, with its 8 cores and 16 threads, has a multi-threaded benchmark score of 26318 in PassMark, which is far beyond what a game like Dave The Diver would need. The conclusion is straightforward: the resolution scaling behavior is entirely dictated by the Intel graphics processor, and users should look to lower resolutions to find acceptable performance.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate this system can achieve in Dave The Diver?

A: The best measured result is 108 FPS, which is achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low settings preset. This is the only configuration in the data that exceeds 100 FPS, and it demonstrates that the system can handle the game fluidly, but only at 1080p and with reduced graphical fidelity.

Q: Is this system capable of 4K gaming in Dave The Diver?

A: The data shows that 4K gaming is not a viable option for a smooth experience. At 3840x2160, the average frame rate ranges from 36 FPS on the Ultra preset to 55 FPS on the Low preset. The highest average, 55 FPS, is below the 60 FPS target, and the Ultra preset's 36 FPS is likely to feel stuttery and unresponsive.

Q: How much of a performance difference does the settings preset make at 1440p?

A: The difference between the lowest and highest presets is substantial. At 2560x1440, the Low preset yields an average of 82 FPS, while the Ultra preset yields 54 FPS. This is a 28 FPS difference, or a 34.1% performance drop. The Medium and High presets sit in between, at 68 FPS and 61 FPS respectively.

Q: Which component is the bottleneck in this configuration?

A: Benchmark results indicate the Intel Arc B390 is the definitive bottleneck. The GPU's average benchmark score of 1482 places it at the 9th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals are ancient parts like the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 and GT 625 OEM. The Ryzen 7 5700X3D, on the other hand, is at the 77th percentile of all CPUs, making it a far more capable component that is being held back.

Q: Is the 1080p Medium preset a good target for this system?

A: Yes, the data shows this to be a strong choice. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset produces an average of 91 FPS, with a minimum of 77 FPS and a maximum of 104 FPS. The minimum frame rate is still well above 60 FPS, which indicates that the experience will be consistently smooth without major dips.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals in raw performance?

A: The Arc B390 has an average score of 1482, which is 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, and 2.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM. It is also 2.7% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710. These are very tight margins, placing the B390 in the same performance class as these very old, low-end GPUs.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data points to 1080p as the only resolution where this system can provide a fully comfortable gaming experience across all presets. At 1920x1080, every preset from Low to Ultra maintains an average above 70 FPS, which is a solid baseline. The recommendation is to prioritize frame rate stability over maximum visual flair. The Ultra preset, while hitting 72 FPS on average, is likely not worth the visual gain over High, which achieves 81 FPS. The performance cost of 9 FPS for the higher preset is significant given the GPU's limitations.

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the Medium preset at 1080p is the optimal choice. The data shows an average of 91 FPS, but more importantly, a minimum of 77 FPS. This ensures that the frame rate rarely dips below the refresh rate of a standard 60Hz monitor, and it provides a comfortable buffer for a 75Hz or 144Hz display. The Low preset offers the highest average at 108 FPS, but the visual downgrade in an adventure game with a focus on underwater scenery is likely too severe to justify the extra 17 FPS over Medium.

At 1440p, the system becomes more constrained. The High preset yields 61 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. The Medium preset at 68 FPS is a safer bet, as it provides a small performance cushion. However, the minimum FPS data is only available for Medium (58 FPS), suggesting that other presets may have dips that are not recorded. Users with a 1440p monitor should stick to Medium or Low to ensure a consistent frame rate. 4K is not recommended, as even the Low preset cannot maintain an average of 60 FPS, making it a frustrating experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system performs admirably. The Low preset delivers the highest average at 108 FPS. The Medium preset follows closely with 91 FPS, and it is the only preset at this resolution with min/max data, showing a range of 77 to 104 FPS. The High preset achieves 81 FPS, while the Ultra preset rounds out the options at 72 FPS. All presets at this resolution are above the 60 FPS threshold, making 1080p the only resolution where the user has complete freedom of choice.

Moving to 2560x1440, the strain on the GPU becomes apparent. The Low preset still manages a respectable 82 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 68 FPS, with recorded minimum and maximum values of 58 and 78 FPS. The High preset falls to 61 FPS, which is just barely above the 60 FPS mark. The Ultra preset is the weakest at this resolution, with an average of 54 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 28 FPS, showing that the settings have a massive impact on performance at this pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles across the board. The Low preset is the only one that approaches playability, with an average of 55 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 46 FPS, with a minimum of 39 and a maximum of 53 FPS. The High preset manages only 41 FPS, and the Ultra preset bottoms out at 36 FPS. No preset at 4K achieves an average of 60 FPS, and the minimum frame rates for the Medium preset indicate that there will be visible stutter during demanding scenes. The data clearly shows that 4K is not a viable option for this combination.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the decisive factor in this system's performance. It is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture and manufactured on a 3 nm process. With a boost clock of 2500 MHz and a base clock of 300 MHz, it has a theoretical FP32 performance of 7.680 TFLOPS. The GPU has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output pipelines. However, its performance in the database is abysmal. Its sole benchmark, 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, yielded a score of 1482, placing it at the 9th percentile of all GPUs.

This score puts it in direct competition with the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which scores 1463, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710, which scores 1443. The Arc B390 is only 1.3% faster than the GT 520MX and 2.7% faster than the GT 710. These are legacy parts from a bygone era, indicating that the B390's raw rendering power is extremely limited. The GPU's memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system's main memory for VRAM, with bandwidth that is "System Dependent." This is a significant handicap for a game like Dave The Diver, which, while not graphically intense, still requires a certain amount of memory bandwidth to stream textures for its detailed environments.

The VRAM situation is critical. Because the GPU has no dedicated video memory, it must compete with the CPU for bandwidth on the system's memory bus. The Ryzen 7 5700X3D supports dual-channel DDR4 with a theoretical bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. While this is sufficient for the CPU, sharing it with the GPU creates a bottleneck that can lead to frame drops and texture pop-in. The 12 ray tracing cores are present, but given the low overall performance, they are unlikely to be usable in any meaningful way. The data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor in every single test, and its low percentile ranking makes it the primary target for any potential upgrade.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D is a powerhouse that is entirely wasted in this configuration. It is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture (codenamed Vermeer) and built on a 7 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. Its most distinctive feature is the large 96 MB of shared L3 cache, which is a hallmark of the X3D series and is designed to improve gaming performance. The CPU's benchmarks are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 22366 and a single-core score of 3157.

The CPU sits at the 77th percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D, which has an average score that is 0.1% higher, and the Intel Core i5-11600, which is 0.6% lower. The Ryzen 7 5700X3D's average benchmark score of 24709 is only 0.1% behind the Ryzen 5 7600X3D, showing that it is a top-tier part. In the context of Dave The Diver, this processing power is vastly overkill. The game is not a multi-threaded benchmark; it is a 2D adventure title that does not stress the CPU.

The data confirms that the CPU is never the bottleneck. At 1080p with Low settings, the system hits 108 FPS, which is likely the point where the GPU is fully saturated. If the CPU were weak, we would see the frame rate cap out at a lower value regardless of resolution. Instead, we see the frame rate drop as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation. The CPU's 16 threads and high clock speeds are more than sufficient to feed the GPU with draw calls. The large L3 cache helps with game logic and asset streaming, but it cannot compensate for the GPU's lack of rendering power. The Ryzen 7 5700X3D is a champion-level component that is being held back by a severely underpowered graphics solution, resulting in a system where the CPU's potential remains untapped.