Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver, an adventure title released on 2023-06-27, presents a unique challenge for the combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and the Intel Arc B390. This pairing pairs a top-tier 12-core desktop processor with an integrated graphics solution that ranks in the 9th percentile among all GPUs. The measured data reveals a system where the CPU's substantial compute resources are largely held in check by the GPU's output limits, resulting in a performance profile that is consistent but never spectacular across the tested resolutions and settings.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a predictable and steep performance penalty as resolution increases, confirming that the Intel Arc B390 is the primary limiting factor in this configuration. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at High settings, the average frame rate drops from 81 FPS to 61 FPS, a reduction of 20 FPS. The scaling continues to 3840x2160, where the average falls further to 41 FPS. This represents a 49.4% drop in average FPS from 1080p to 4K at the High preset, a pattern that strongly indicates the GPU is saturated well before the Ryzen 9 9900X’s capabilities are fully utilized.

The trend is consistent across all settings presets. At Low settings, the frame rate scales from 108 FPS at 1080p, down to 82 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 55 FPS at 4K. The percentage delta between 1080p and 4K is similar to High, showing that even when graphical load is reduced, the GPU is still the bottleneck. The Medium preset provides the only complete data set with minimum and maximum frame times, showing a range from 77 to 104 FPS at 1080p, 58 to 78 at 1440p, and 39 to 53 at 4K. The consistent reduction in both average and the bounds of the frame rate range points to a GPU that is running out of pixel processing throughput as the resolution increases.

What is notable is the CPU's apparent lack of involvement in this scaling. The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X, with its 12 cores and boost clock of 5.60 GHz, should theoretically have no trouble feeding frames to the GPU at 1080p. However, the fact that performance still drops by roughly 20% when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and another 33% from 1440p to 4K, suggests that the GPU's rendering pipeline is the sole constraint. The system is not memory-bandwidth limited in a traditional sense, as the GPU uses System Shared memory, but the GPU's raw compute power is insufficient to maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions. This analysis is supported by the GPU's benchmark score of 1482 in 3dmark_steel_nomad_dx12, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, a position that indicates very low absolute performance.

How This Combo Ranks

In the context of Dave The Diver, this specific combination of CPU and GPU ranks 2538 out of 2867 tested combos. This places it in the bottom 11.5% of all configurations tested for this game, which is a poor showing. The ranking is heavily skewed by the GPU’s low performance ceiling, as the CPU is a high-end part. The data suggests that while the Ryzen 9 9900X is capable of high frame rates in other scenarios, it is entirely dependent on the GPU here.

This combo rank is a reflection of the GPU’s position in the broader market. The Intel Arc B390's benchmarks show it competing with very old, low-end discrete GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which has a score of 1463, and the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, with a score of 1460. The B390 is only 1.3% faster than the GT 520MX and 1.5% faster than the 800M. The performance delta is minimal, indicating that this integrated GPU offers performance in the same class as decade-old entry-level mobile parts. Considering the CPU's own nearest rivals, the AMD EPYC 9015 and Intel Core i9-14900 are within 1.1% of the 9900X’s average benchmark score, illustrating that the processor is a modern, high-performance part that is being paired with a severely underpowered graphics solution. The low combo rank is therefore not a reflection of the CPU but of the GPU holding the entire system back.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, code-named Granite Ridge. It operates on the AM5 socket with a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. In this configuration, its role is to provide ample compute headroom that remains largely unused in Dave The Diver. The game’s performance is not CPU-bound, as evidenced by the fact that the frame rate scales linearly with resolution and settings, a classic sign of GPU limitation.

The CPU’s benchmark scores confirm its high-end status. It achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 32172 and a single-core score of 2253. In Geekbench, it scores 22174 multicore and 3010 single-core. These scores place it in the 92nd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 57498. Its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 9015, has a score of 57555, a delta of -0.1%, indicating they are statistically tied. The high multi-threaded performance from the 12 cores and 24 threads is irrelevant for this game, as the GPU cannot keep up with even a fraction of the CPU's potential output. The 64 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support provide a solid foundation, but the system's overall performance is capped by the GPU. The data suggests that a much weaker CPU could be paired with this GPU and achieve nearly identical frame rates in Dave The Diver, as the limiting factor is almost exclusively the graphics processor.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a full picture of the system's capabilities. At 1920x1080, the system is most playable. With Low settings, it achieves an average of 108 FPS. Medium settings yield an average of 91 FPS, with a minimum of 77 and a maximum of 104. High settings produce an average of 81 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to an average of 72 FPS. These numbers show that at 1080p, the GPU is still able to push frame rates above 60 FPS on all presets, making it a viable, if not smooth, experience for most users.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance degrades noticeably. Low settings drop to an average of 82 FPS, which is still playable. Medium settings average 68 FPS (min 58, max 78), and High settings average 61 FPS. Ultra settings fall to an average of 54 FPS, which dips below the 60 FPS threshold that many consider the baseline for a smooth experience. At this resolution, the GPU is clearly struggling to maintain high frame rates on more demanding presets.

At 3840x2160, the system is largely unplayable for a smooth experience. Low settings average 55 FPS, Medium averages 46 FPS (min 39, max 53), and High averages 41 FPS. Ultra settings bottom out at an average of 36 FPS. These frame rates are below the standard for acceptable performance, and the data indicates that the Intel Arc B390 is not suited for 4K gaming in this title. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 19 FPS, which is a smaller absolute difference compared to 1080p, where the gap is 36 FPS, further illustrating that the GPU is hitting a hard performance ceiling at higher resolutions.

FAQ

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

A: According to the measured data, 1920x1080 is the only resolution where all settings presets maintain an average frame rate above 60 FPS. At 2560x1440, only Low and Medium settings stay above 60 FPS on average, while at 3840x2160, no preset achieves a 60 FPS average.

Q: How does the performance at High settings compare between 1080p and 4K?

A: At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 81 FPS at 1920x1080 to 41 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 49.4% reduction in performance when moving to 4K, highlighting the GPU's resolution scaling limitations.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X the bottleneck in this system?

A: No. The data shows that frame rates scale consistently with resolution and settings, which is a characteristic of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU's high benchmark scores, such as 32172 in Cinebench R23 multicore, suggest it has ample headroom that is not being utilized.

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

A: The Intel Arc B390 has a benchmark score of 1482, which is only 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and 1.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce 800M. This indicates it performs in a similar class to these older, low-end GPUs.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum frame rates at Medium settings in 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the measured data shows a minimum frame rate of 58 FPS and a maximum of 78 FPS, with an average of 68 FPS.

Q: Does the system provide a smooth 60 FPS experience at Ultra settings in 1080p?

A: Yes, at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the average frame rate is 72 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS target. This is the only resolution where the Ultra preset achieves an average above 60 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combination depend heavily on the target resolution. For a 1920x1080 display, the Ultra preset is the best choice, as it delivers an average of 72 FPS, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The High preset offers a slight performance boost at 81 FPS, but the visual fidelity of Ultra is achievable without sacrificing playability.

For users with a 2560x1440 monitor, the High preset is the recommended starting point, averaging 61 FPS. However, this is close to the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset provides a more stable experience with an average of 68 FPS and a minimum of 58 FPS, making it the safer choice for maintaining consistent frame rates. The Low preset is unnecessary, as the step up to Medium provides a significant visual improvement for only a 14 FPS average cost.

At 3840x2160, no settings preset can achieve a consistent 60 FPS average. The Low preset is the most playable, with an average of 55 FPS, but it still falls short of the ideal target. The Medium preset averages 46 FPS, which is less smooth. Therefore, for 4K, the Low preset is the only option if playability is the primary concern, but the experience will be compromised. The data strongly suggests that 1080p is the intended resolution for this hardware combination to ensure a satisfactory experience.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated GPU based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, code-named Panther Lake. It operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. The GPU has 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate. Its memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it uses a portion of the system's main memory, with bandwidth being "System Dependent." This architecture is the primary determinant of the system's low performance.

The GPU's benchmark results are stark. It scores 1482 in the 3dmark_steel_nomad_dx12 test, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and GT 625 OEM, which are over a decade old. The B390 is only 2.5% faster than the GT 625 OEM. This context is crucial for interpreting the game's performance. The GPU's pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s are insufficient for demanding tasks at high resolutions.

The measured FPS data confirms this. At 4K Ultra, the system can only muster an average of 36 FPS. The GPU's limited compute power, reflected in its 7.680 TFLOPS FP32 performance, becomes the hard ceiling. The fact that the GPU uses system memory and has no dedicated VRAM further limits its ability to handle large textures and high resolutions. In this pairing, the GPU is unequivocally the limiting component. The CPU is capable of far more, but the B390 caps the system's performance at a level that is only acceptable for 1080p gaming on lower settings. The data indicates that this integrated GPU is not designed for high-end gaming, and its performance in Dave The Diver is consistent with its low benchmark percentile ranking.