Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver, an adventure title from 2023, presents an interesting case study when paired with the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and Intel Arc B370. The measured frame rates reveal a configuration that is decisively constrained by its graphics component, with the CPU's substantial processing power left largely untapped. The Arc B370, an integrated graphics solution within the Panther Lake chip, posts scores that place it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, and the data confirms this is the primary bottleneck across all tested resolutions and settings.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K showcases a dramatic and predictable decline in performance, underscoring the GPU-bound nature of this pairing. At 1080p with High settings, the system achieves an average of 73 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops this to 55 FPS, a 24.7% reduction. The jump to 4K is even more punishing, with the average falling to 37 FPS, representing a 49.3% decline from the 1080p baseline. This scaling pattern is a classic indicator of a system where the graphics processor is the limiting factor; the CPU is not holding the system back, so the frame rate is almost entirely dictated by the GPU's rendering capabilities.

The trend is consistent across all quality presets. With Low settings, the system moves from 98 FPS at 1080p to 74 FPS at 1440p (a 24.5% decrease) and then to 49 FPS at 4K (a 50% drop from 1080p). This consistent halving of performance at 4K relative to 1080p, regardless of the preset, strongly suggests that the Arc B370's compute and memory subsystems are saturated. The data implies that the game's resolution scaling is directly proportional to the pixel count, with no other component intervening to mitigate the load. The integrated GPU's memory bandwidth is "System Dependent," which likely contributes to the steep decline at higher resolutions where memory pressure increases significantly.

What is particularly telling is the difference between the Low and High presets at each resolution. At 1080p, the gap is 25 FPS (98 vs 73), while at 4K, the gap narrows to 12 FPS (49 vs 37). This compression of the performance gap at higher resolutions is a hallmark of a GPU that is completely maxed out. At 4K, the GPU is struggling to fill pixels regardless of the shading complexity, so lowering settings provides diminishing returns. The data suggests that the Arc B370's fillrate and texture processing capabilities are the primary constraints, not the specific graphical features toggled by the preset.

FAQ

Q: What is the performance difference between 1080p and 4K at High settings?

A: The average frame rate drops from 73 FPS at 1920x1080 to 37 FPS at 3840x2160, a 49.3% decrease. This indicates a significant performance penalty for the 4K resolution.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X or the Intel Arc B370 the limiting factor in this game?

A: The benchmark data strongly indicates the GPU is the bottleneck. The CPU has a high average benchmark score of 37943, placing it in the 86th percentile, while the GPU has an average score of just 1184, placing it in the 5th percentile. The consistent FPS scaling with resolution changes points directly to the graphics processor.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 compare to its nearest rivals based on its 3DMark Steel Nomad score?

A: The Arc B370 scored 1184, which is 0.2% lower than the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and 0.5% lower than the ATI Radeon HD 5770. It is 1.4% faster than the AMD FirePro M2000, placing it in a very low performance tier.

Q: What is the best average FPS achievable at 1440p?

A: The highest average FPS at 2560x1440 is 74, which is achieved with the Low settings preset. The Medium preset yields 62 FPS, while High and Ultra produce 55 and 49 FPS, respectively.

Q: Does enabling Ultra settings provide a playable experience at any resolution?

A: The data shows Ultra settings are only playable at 1080p, where it achieves an average of 65 FPS. At 1440p, the average drops to 49 FPS, and at 4K it is only 33 FPS, which is below the standard for smooth gameplay.

Q: What is the CPU's performance percentile relative to all other processors?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X is in the 86th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37943. This places it well ahead of its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i9-14901E, which has a score of 37911.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is the defining component in this configuration, and its performance characteristics are the sole reason for the frame rates observed. As an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with a 25 W TDP, it is designed for efficiency, not high-end gaming. Its performance is reflected in its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184, which puts it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs and alongside legacy parts like the ATI Radeon HD 5770. This is a fundamental limitation that no amount of CPU power can overcome.

The GPU's memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system's main memory rather than dedicated VRAM. This has a direct impact on performance, especially at higher resolutions where memory bandwidth demand increases. The memory bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which means it will vary based on the system's RAM configuration. In Dave The Diver, this shared memory setup likely contributes to the steep performance drops at 1440p and 4K, as the GPU competes with the CPU for memory access. The clock speeds of 300 MHz base and 2400 MHz boost are relatively low, further limiting its processing power.

The GPU's architectural features, such as 1280 shading units and 40 TMUs, are modest in number. This translates to a pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s. These metrics explain why the GPU struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K, where the demand for pixel filling and texture sampling is immense. The data suggests that the Arc B370 is adequate for 1080p gaming at lower presets but is overwhelmed by the demands of higher resolutions and quality settings. Its FP32 performance of 6.144 TFLOPS is simply not sufficient for a graphically demanding title at high resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this configuration is to prioritize resolution over visual fidelity. At 1080p, the system can handle all presets, but the best balance of visual quality and performance is found at High settings, which yields an average of 73 FPS. The jump to Ultra provides a 65 FPS average, a modest 11% decrease for a likely small visual improvement. For players who prefer maximum smoothness, Low settings at 1080p provide a high 98 FPS average.

For 1440p, the data suggests that Medium settings are the most reasonable choice, delivering a 62 FPS average with a minimum of 52 FPS. This is the only 1440p preset that maintains a playable framerate. The High preset drops to 55 FPS, and while it is technically playable, the Medium preset offers a more stable experience with a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. Low settings at 1440p provide an average of 74 FPS, which is a solid option if visual quality is not a priority, but Medium is recommended for a better visual experience.

At 4K, none of the presets provide a truly smooth experience. The High preset averages 37 FPS, and Low only reaches 49 FPS. The data indicates that 4K is not a viable resolution for this game with the Arc B370. The best course of action is to stick to 1080p or 1440p for a playable experience. The measured results show that the performance cost of increasing from Medium to High or Ultra is significant, while the benefits of lowering from High to Low are substantial, making Medium at 1440p the most sensible compromise for a playable frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2642nd out of 2867 tested combos in Dave The Diver. This places it in the bottom 8% of all systems tested, which is a direct reflection of the GPU's severe performance limitations. This ranking is not a signal of the CPU, which is a high-end part, but rather a clear indicator that the integrated graphics solution is a massive bottleneck in this gaming scenario.

The stark contrast in the components' individual benchmark percentiles tells the story. The CPU is in the 86th percentile, while the GPU is in the 5th percentile. This massive disparity means that the system's potential is almost entirely unrealized in a GPU-bound game like Dave The Diver. The combo's low rank suggests that pairing this powerful CPU with such a weak GPU is an inefficient use of resources for gaming purposes. The measured FPS data, such as the 33 FPS average at 4K Ultra, confirms that this combination is not suited for demanding gaming workloads, despite the CPU's high performance in synthetic benchmarks. The system effectively performs as a low-end gaming machine due to its graphics component.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system's performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the system delivers an average of 98 FPS on Low, 82 FPS on Medium (with a minimum of 70 and maximum of 94), 73 FPS on High, and 65 FPS on Ultra. These figures show that 1080p is the sweet spot for this configuration, with all presets achieving playable frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably. The Low preset averages 74 FPS, while Medium averages 62 FPS (with a minimum of 52 and maximum of 71). The High preset averages 55 FPS, and Ultra drops to 49 FPS. This resolution presents a challenge, as only the Low and Medium presets maintain an average above 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system is clearly overmatched. The Low preset averages 49 FPS, Medium averages 41 FPS (with a minimum of 35 and maximum of 47), High averages 37 FPS, and Ultra averages just 33 FPS. None of these settings provide a consistently smooth experience at 4K. The data shows a clear and consistent pattern: the frame rate is directly tied to the resolution and the preset, with the GPU being the sole determinant of performance.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X is an exceptionally powerful processor, and its role in this configuration is to provide ample headroom that the GPU cannot utilize. With 8 cores and 16 threads, base clock of 3.80 GHz, and boost clock of 5.50 GHz, it is more than capable of handling the demands of Dave The Diver. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 20485 and single-core score of 2211 are strong indicators of its processing power. The CPU's average benchmark score of 37943 places it 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i9-14901E and AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, showing it is a top-tier part.

However, in this game, the CPU's role is minimized. The data shows that the frame rate is determined by the GPU, not the CPU. The CPU's performance, as measured by tests like the 3DMark 16-thread score of 9824 and the Geekbench multicore score of 17906, is far in excess of what is needed to feed the Arc B370. This is a classic case of a CPU being "GPU-limited." The processor is likely idling, waiting for the graphics chip to finish its rendering tasks.

The CPU's architecture, Zen 5 on a 4 nm process, is designed for high performance and efficiency. Its 32 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR5 memory are all features that would benefit a more powerful GPU. In this pairing, these advantages are moot, as the GPU is the bottleneck. The benchmark results indicate that the Ryzen 7 9700X is not a contributing factor to the low frame rates. Instead, it sits in the 86th percentile of all CPUs, ready to perform, but held back by the 5th percentile GPU. The system's performance is a direct consequence of this mismatch.