Dave The Diver

# 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 TSMC process. It operates with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The CPU's cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3. Memory support is DDR5 with dual-channel bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. This processor sits in the 86th percentile versus all CPUs, indicating strong general-purpose performance.

In Dave The Diver, the CPU's role is substantial given the game's adventure genre, which often involves simulation-like mechanics, dynamic world interactions, and numerous AI-driven entities. Benchmark results show the 9700X handles even the highest frame rates without bottlenecking. At 1080p Ultra, the combo delivers 269 FPS average, while at 1080p Low it reaches 408 FPS. The 3DMark multi-threaded score of 9771 and single-thread score of 1280 suggest balanced performance that scales well with the game's demands.

The CPU's 16 threads are particularly relevant for Dave The Diver, as the game manages multiple concurrent systems — ocean exploration, restaurant management, and character interactions. The 3DMark 8-thread score of 8184 indicates robust mid-thread-count performance, which aligns with gaming workloads that typically use 4-8 threads heavily. The single-core Cinebench R23 score of 2211 shows strong per-thread efficiency, crucial for game logic and physics that are often serialized.

Compared to its nearest rivals in the benchmark database, the 9700X is virtually tied with the Intel Core i9-14901E (deltaPct 0.1%), the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 (deltaPct 0.1%), the Intel Core 5 211E (deltaPct 0.3%), and the AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 (deltaPct 0.4%). This tight grouping means the CPU choice among these options would yield nearly identical game performance. The 9700X's 86th percentile ranking places it above most processors but not at the absolute top, which is consistent with the frame rates observed in Dave The Diver — high but not record-breaking.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 uses the AD103 chip on the Ada Lovelace architecture, fabricated on a 5 nm TSMC process. It has 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 716.8 GB/s bandwidth. The GPU's base clock is 2205 MHz with a boost clock of 2505 MHz, and memory runs at 1400 MHz (22.4 Gbps effective). The RTX 4080 has 9728 shading units, 304 TMUs, 112 ROPs, 76 RT cores, and 304 tensor cores. It achieves 48.74 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 280.6 GPixel/s pixel rate. The GPU is rated at 320 W TDP and occupies a triple-slot form factor with a 16-pin power connector.

In Dave The Diver, the RTX 4080 proves exceptionally capable, delivering 154 FPS average at 4K High settings. This is a game that does not heavily tax modern GPUs, as evidenced by the fact that even at 4K Ultra, the combo maintains 136 FPS average. The 16 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for this title, as Dave The Diver's art style and asset complexity do not require large memory pools. The GPU's 86th percentile versus all GPUs and its average benchmark score of 54247 place it in the upper echelon of graphics cards.

The RTX 4080's nearest rivals show interesting dynamics. The RTX 4080 SUPER is essentially identical (deltaPct 0.1%), while the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is 1.1% slower, the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB is 2.6% slower, and the AMD Radeon 8060S is 2.7% slower. These small deltas indicate that for Dave The Diver, any of these GPUs would deliver similar frame rates, though the RTX 4080's specific architecture features like DLSS and ray tracing capabilities are not critical for this game. The GPU's Geekbench Vulkan score of 263779 and OpenCL score of 214739 demonstrate strong compute performance, but the game's requirements are modest enough that the GPU is never the primary constraint.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of scaling across resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 408 FPS average, dropping to 307 FPS at 1440p Low (a 24.8% decrease) and 206 FPS at 4K Low (a 49.5% decrease from 1080p). At 1080p High, the average is 305 FPS, falling to 230 FPS at 1440p High (24.6% decrease) and 154 FPS at 4K High (49.5% decrease). The consistent percentage drops across settings suggest the scaling is resolution-driven rather than settings-driven.

The Medium settings provide the most complete data with min and max FPS values. At 1080p Medium, the average is 342 FPS with a min of 290 and max of 393. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 257 FPS with a min of 219 and max of 296. At 4K Medium, the average is 172 FPS with a min of 146 and max of 198. The frame time consistency is excellent, with the min FPS staying within 85% of the average across all resolutions, indicating no severe stuttering or frame pacing issues.

Ultra settings show the heaviest load: 269 FPS at 1080p, 203 FPS at 1440p, and 136 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 49.4%, nearly identical to the other settings. This uniform scaling suggests that the GPU is the primary limiting factor as resolution increases, which is expected given that pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K. The CPU's performance headroom is evident: at 1080p Low, the CPU is capable of driving 408 FPS, and even at 4K Ultra, the 136 FPS is far above typical 60 FPS targets.

The data indicates that Dave The Diver is GPU-bound at higher resolutions but CPU-bound at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the 408 FPS likely approaches the CPU's maximum frame generation capability, while at 4K Ultra, the GPU's rendering workload dominates. For players with high-refresh-rate 1080p or 1440p monitors, the CPU becomes more relevant, but the 9700X's strong single-thread performance ensures it never becomes a severe bottleneck.

# FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS achievable with this combo?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 408 at 1080p Low settings. At 1080p Medium, the average is 342 FPS, and at 1080p High it is 305 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in the benchmark database?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X is within 0.4% of its nearest rivals: the Intel Core i9-14901E (0.1% faster), AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 (0.1% faster), Intel Core 5 211E (0.3% faster), and AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 (0.4% faster). These differences are negligible for gaming.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking and what does it mean?

A: The RTX 4080 is in the 86th percentile versus all GPUs. This means it outperforms 86% of all graphics cards in the database, placing it in the upper tier but not at the absolute top.

Q: Does the game run smoothly at 4K with this hardware?

A: Yes, the combo delivers 154 FPS at 4K High and 136 FPS at 4K Ultra. Even at 4K Medium, the average is 172 FPS with a minimum of 146 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K?

A: The average FPS drops by approximately 49.5% across all settings when moving from 1080p to 4K. For example, at High settings, the average drops from 305 FPS to 154 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to bottleneck in this game?

A: At lower resolutions like 1080p, the CPU becomes more relevant, as shown by the 408 FPS at Low settings. At 4K, the GPU is the limiting factor, with the average FPS dropping to 136-206 depending on settings.

# How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combo ranks 215th out of 3710 tested combinations in Dave The Diver. This places it in the top 5.8% of all combos in the database, which is a strong showing. The high rank reflects the balanced performance of both components: the CPU's 86th percentile ranking and the GPU's 86th percentile ranking combine to produce a system that excels in this game.

The rank of 215 is notable because it is lower than what the individual component percentiles might suggest. This discrepancy indicates that some combos with slightly lower-performing CPUs or GPUs achieve better results in Dave The Diver, possibly due to favorable pairings or specific optimizations. However, the 215th rank still represents excellent performance, as the game runs at over 130 FPS at 4K Ultra, which is far beyond what most systems can achieve.

The combo's position in the rankings is consistent with the measured frame rates. With 3710 total combos, being in the 215th position means there are 214 combos that perform better. This could include systems with higher-end GPUs like the RTX 4090 or CPUs with higher boost clocks. The RTX 4080's nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, would likely rank slightly higher given its 0.1% performance advantage.

For context, the combo's performance in Dave The Diver is exceptional for a 4K gaming scenario. The 136 FPS at 4K Ultra places it well above the 60 FPS standard, and the 154 FPS at 4K High offers headroom for demanding scenes. The rank of 215 out of 3710 confirms the hardware's capability, even if it is not in the top 100.

# Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the user's display resolution and refresh rate. At 4K, the High preset delivers 154 FPS average, which is excellent for most displays. The Ultra preset drops to 136 FPS, a 11.7% reduction, which may be noticeable on very high refresh rate monitors but is still smooth. The Medium preset at 4K offers 172 FPS with a minimum of 146 FPS, providing the best balance of visual quality and performance for 1440p or 4K displays with 144Hz refresh rates.

For 1440p users, the Ultra preset at 203 FPS average is the recommended choice, as it provides the highest visual fidelity while still exceeding 200 FPS. The High preset at 230 FPS is also viable for 240Hz displays, but the visual improvement from High to Ultra is typically worth the 27 FPS drop. At 1440p Low, the 307 FPS average is overkill for most displays and sacrifices too much visual quality.

At 1080p, the Ultra preset at 269 FPS is the best option for high-refresh-rate gaming. The High preset at 305 FPS is barely faster (13.4% improvement) but with reduced visual settings. The Medium preset at 342 FPS offers diminishing returns, and the Low preset at 408 FPS is only recommended for competitive play where maximum frame rates are prioritized over visuals.

The most balanced overall recommendation is the High preset at 1440p, delivering 230 FPS average. This provides excellent visual quality with a frame rate that exceeds all but the most extreme refresh rate displays. For 4K, the High preset at 154 FPS is similarly well-balanced. The Medium preset offers the best minimum FPS stability, with the 4K Medium showing a minimum of 146 FPS, ensuring no drops below 140 FPS even in demanding scenes. Players seeking the absolute smoothest experience should opt for Medium, while those prioritizing visuals should choose High or Ultra based on their display's refresh rate.