Dave The Diver

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and Intel Arc B580 combination delivers a highly capable experience in Dave The Diver, with the data showing that the CPU’s robust single-thread performance ensures the GPU is consistently the primary driver of frame rates across all tested settings and resolutions. This pairing sits at the 75th percentile in the benchmark database for this specific title, outperforming a substantial majority of tested combinations while maintaining playable performance even at 4K Ultra.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X is an 8-core, 16-thread processor built on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge) using a 4 nm process. With a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, this processor is designed for high-frequency workloads, and its benchmark scores confirm exceptional single-thread capability. It scores 1280 in the 3dMark single-thread test and 2211 in Cinebench R23 single-core, figures that place it among the top-tier desktop processors for lightly threaded tasks. This is particularly relevant for Dave The Diver, an adventure title where game logic, physics, and AI routines often rely on a few fast cores rather than scaling perfectly across many.

The CPU’s multi-threaded performance is equally strong but not the limiting factor here. It scores 9824 in 3dMark 16-thread, 9771 in max-thread, and 20485 in Cinebench R23 multi-core. The 32 MB of shared L3 cache and 89.6 GB/s dual-channel DDR5 memory bandwidth provide ample data throughput for feeding the GPU. However, the measured frame rates in this game tell a clear story: at 1080p Low, the system achieves 189 FPS, which is a very high figure but not indicative of a CPU bottleneck. If the CPU were constraining performance, the gap between Low and Ultra settings would be smaller, but the data shows a 65 FPS spread (189 vs 124) at 1080p, indicating the graphics workload scales with settings.

The Ryzen 7 9700X occupies the 86th percentile among all CPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 37943. Its nearest rivals are the Intel Core i9-14901E (37911, only 0.1% slower), the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 (37904, 0.1% slower), and the Intel Core 5 211E (37829, 0.3% slower). This places the 9700X in a virtual tie with these competitors, meaning any performance differences in Dave The Diver are more attributable to the GPU than to CPU selection. The processor’s 65 W TDP and unlocked multiplier are notable for system builders, but the benchmark data shows no thermal throttling concerns at these frame rates.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Arc B580 is the clear performance arbiter in this combination. Built on the Xe2-HPG architecture (Battlemage generation) using a 5 nm process, this GPU features 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus with 456.0 GB/s bandwidth. The 12 GB VRAM capacity is ample for Dave The Diver, which is not a memory-intensive title, ensuring that texture streaming and asset loading do not cause stutters or frame drops even at 4K Ultra. The GPU operates at a consistent 2670 MHz base and boost clock, with memory running at 2375 MHz (19 Gbps effective).

The Arc B580’s compute specifications include 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 80 raster output units, delivering 13.67 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and a texture rate of 427.2 GTexel/s. In the database, this GPU scores 15748 in Passmark G3D and 109672 in Geekbench Vulkan, placing it in the 68th percentile among all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 23021. Its nearest rivals are instructive: the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (23061, 0.2% faster), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (22895, 0.6% slower), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (23172, 0.7% faster). The Arc B580 thus performs within 1% of an RTX 3080 in aggregate benchmarks, which is a strong showing for a modern mid-range card.

In Dave The Diver, the GPU’s influence is evident in the scaling of frame rates with settings. At 1080p, the difference between Low (189 FPS) and Ultra (124 FPS) is 65 FPS, a 34% reduction. At 4K, the spread is 32 FPS (95 Low vs 63 Ultra), a 34% reduction as well. This consistent percentage drop across resolutions indicates the GPU is handling the increased settings load uniformly, with no signs of VRAM capacity or bandwidth limitations. The 12 GB memory buffer remains sufficient even at 4K Ultra, where the card still produces an average of 63 FPS.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured frame rates reveal a classic GPU-bound scaling pattern. Moving from 1080p to 1440p at High settings drops the average from 141 FPS to 106 FPS, a 25% reduction. From 1440p to 4K at High, the average falls from 106 FPS to 71 FPS, another 33% reduction. The cumulative drop from 1080p High to 4K High is 50% (141 to 71 FPS). This steep decline with resolution is the hallmark of a system where the GPU is the primary bottleneck — the CPU’s 16 threads are more than capable of maintaining frame pacing, but the Arc B580’s rendering throughput diminishes as pixel count increases.

The pattern holds across all settings. At Low, the transition from 1080p (189 FPS) to 1440p (142 FPS) is a 25% drop, and from 1440p to 4K (95 FPS) is a 33% drop. At Ultra, the figures are 124 FPS at 1080p, 94 FPS at 1440p (24% drop), and 63 FPS at 4K (33% drop). The consistency of these percentages — roughly 25% for the first resolution step and 33% for the second — indicates that the GPU’s fill rate and shading capacity scale predictably with pixel count, with no sudden cliff or memory-related collapse.

This data confirms that the Ryzen 7 9700X is not a limiting factor at any tested setting. Even at 1080p Low, where CPU overhead is typically highest relative to GPU load, the system achieves 189 FPS without any indication of a frame cap or CPU stall. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect the frame rate to remain nearly constant across resolutions at the same settings, but the observed 50% reduction from 1080p to 4K High proves the GPU is doing the heavy lifting. The 4K Medium result (80 FPS average, with minimum 68 and maximum 92) shows a smooth experience, and even 4K Ultra at 63 FPS is within the range of playable for a slower-paced adventure title.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific configuration — AMD Ryzen 7 9700X paired with Intel Arc B580 — ranks 2780 out of 3710 tested combos in Dave The Diver. This places it in the 75th percentile of all combinations, meaning it outperforms roughly three-quarters of the systems in the database for this game. While the absolute rank might seem mid-pack, it is important to contextualize this within the test population, which includes high-end GPUs and CPUs that are significantly more expensive. The rank indicates that this combo delivers solid 1080p and 1440p performance, with acceptable 4K capability, rather than being a top-tier enthusiast setup.

The combo’s position is influenced more by the GPU than the CPU. The Ryzen 7 9700X is at the 86th percentile among all CPUs, but the Arc B580 is at the 68th percentile among GPUs. This means the GPU is the weaker link in the pairing, pulling the overall combo rank below what the CPU alone would suggest. However, the delta between the CPU’s percentile and the combo’s percentile is not extreme, indicating that the balance is reasonable for 1080p and 1440p gaming. The fact that the combo achieves 189 FPS at 1080p Low and 141 FPS at 1080p High suggests it is well-suited for high-refresh-rate monitors at that resolution, while the 106 FPS at 1440p High is excellent for standard 144Hz displays.

Comparatively, the GPU’s nearest rivals in aggregate benchmarks (RTX 2080, RTX 3080) would likely place this combo in a similar or slightly higher rank, but the measured data for this specific pairing shows it is competitive. The 4K Ultra result of 63 FPS is notably strong for a card in this class, indicating that the game’s engine is well-optimized for the Arc architecture’s strengths. The rank of 2780 out of 3710 confirms the Arc B580’s efficiency rather than raw power, and the Ryzen 7 9700X ensures the GPU is never starved of data.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to run this game with this hardware?

A: The data shows the combo achieves 141 FPS at 1080p High and 106 FPS at 1440p High, making both excellent choices. At 4K High, it drops to 71 FPS, which is still playable but less fluid. For the best balance of visual quality and frame rate, 1440p High is the sweet spot.

Q: How much performance is lost when going from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings?

A: At Ultra, the average frame rate drops from 124 FPS at 1080p to 94 FPS at 1440p, then to 63 FPS at 4K. This represents a 24% reduction from 1080p to 1440p and a 33% reduction from 1440p to 4K, with a total loss of 49% from 1080p to 4K.

Q: Is the 12 GB VRAM on the Intel Arc B580 sufficient for this game?

A: Yes. The benchmark results show no frame rate collapse or stuttering at 4K Ultra (63 FPS average), which would be indicative of VRAM insufficiency. The game is not memory-hungry, and 12 GB is more than adequate.

Q: How does this combo compare to using a higher-tier GPU with the same CPU?

A: The combo ranks 2780 out of 3710, placing it in the 75th percentile. The CPU is at the 86th percentile, so a stronger GPU would likely push the combo higher in rank. However, the current GPU delivers 141 FPS at 1080p High, which is sufficient for most users.

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

A: At 1440p, Low settings yield 142 FPS, while Ultra yields 94 FPS. This is a 48 FPS difference (34% reduction), showing that the GPU has headroom to handle increased graphical fidelity without making the game unplayable.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 9700X holding back the Intel Arc B580 in this game?

A: No. The consistent frame rate scaling across resolutions (25% drop from 1080p to 1440p, 33% from 1440p to 4K) indicates a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU scores 1280 in 3dMark single-thread, which is more than sufficient for this title’s demands.

Settings Recommendations

For a 1080p high-refresh-rate display, the Ultra preset is the recommended choice, as it delivers 124 FPS average, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and smooth on most monitors. The High preset at 141 FPS offers a marginal 12% improvement in frame rate but sacrifices some visual quality; the difference between 124 and 141 FPS is unlikely to be noticeable on standard 144Hz panels. The Medium preset at 158 FPS is only necessary for 240Hz displays, where the extra 34 FPS over Ultra could be perceptible, but the visual downgrade from Ultra to Medium is significant.

At 1440p, the High preset at 106 FPS is the optimal balance, providing a smooth experience on 100Hz+ monitors while maintaining higher graphical fidelity. The Ultra preset at 94 FPS is also viable if visual quality is prioritized over the 12 FPS difference, but the Medium preset at 119 FPS is recommended for users with 120Hz displays who want to ensure they stay above the refresh rate. The Low preset at 142 FPS offers no practical benefit over Medium unless the user is targeting extreme refresh rates beyond 140Hz, which is uncommon at 1440p.

At 4K, the Medium preset at 80 FPS is the clear winner, as it stays above the 60 FPS standard for console-like smoothness while retaining decent visual quality. The High preset at 71 FPS is also playable but leaves less headroom for demanding scenes; the measured minimum on Medium is 68 FPS, whereas High’s minimum is not recorded but the average is 9 FPS lower. The Ultra preset at 63 FPS is borderline, as it dips close to the 60 FPS line and may cause perceptible stutter in busy areas. For a consistent 4K experience, Medium is the safest recommendation, with High being acceptable for users who tolerate occasional frame drops. The Low preset at 95 FPS is unnecessary at this resolution, as the visual degradation outweighs the 15 FPS gain over Medium.