Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver, an adventure title that pairs restaurant management with deep-sea exploration, presents a curious performance profile for the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and Intel Arc B390 combination. The data shows a system that is decisively limited by its graphics component, with frame rates that scale predictably with resolution but remain modest even at the most forgiving settings. The benchmark results place this combo at rank 2538 out of 2867 tested configurations, indicating that while the processor is a top-tier performer, the integrated graphics solution holds the entire experience back.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and consistent pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, a hallmark of GPU-bound scenarios. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 108 FPS average, which drops to 82 FPS at 2560x1440, and further to 55 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 24% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a 49% reduction from 1080p to 4K. The scaling is nearly linear with pixel count, strongly suggesting that the Intel Arc B390's rendering throughput is the sole limiting factor.

Moving to High settings, the same pattern emerges with slightly lower absolute numbers. The 1080p High preset yields 81 FPS average, which falls to 61 FPS at 1440p (a 25% drop) and 41 FPS at 4K (a 49% drop from 1080p). The consistency of these percentage drops across different quality presets indicates that resolution scaling is independent of the graphical workload complexity—the GPU is simply running out of pixel-pushing capability at higher resolutions, regardless of how many shader effects are active.

The Ultra preset shows the most severe impact of resolution scaling. Starting at 72 FPS average in 1080p, it declines to 54 FPS at 1440p and bottoms out at 36 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is particularly telling: a 50% reduction from 1080p Ultra, which mirrors the scaling seen on lower presets. This uniformity suggests that the game's engine is not introducing any CPU-side bottlenecks that would alter the scaling curve; the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D with its 12 cores and 24 threads is never the constraint here.

The Medium preset, which is the only one with complete min/max FPS data, offers additional insight into frame time consistency. At 1080p Medium, the average is 91 FPS with a minimum of 77 and maximum of 104 FPS—a 27 FPS spread. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 68 FPS with a range of 58 to 78 FPS (20 FPS spread). At 4K Medium, the average is 46 FPS with a range of 39 to 53 FPS (14 FPS spread). The narrowing spread at higher resolutions is counterintuitive; it suggests that as the GPU becomes more saturated, frame pacing actually becomes more consistent, likely because the bottleneck is steady and predictable rather than intermittent.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the indisputable performance bottleneck in this configuration. Its benchmark results are stark: a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, a figure that aligns with its modest specifications. The GPU features 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 render output units, with 12 ray tracing cores. Its boost clock reaches 2500 MHz from a base of 300 MHz, though the memory configuration is listed as "System Shared" with bandwidth described as "System Dependent."

The GPU's nearest rivals in benchmark scores are all entry-level discrete solutions: the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (score 1463, deltaPct 1.3), NVIDIA GeForce 800M (score 1460, deltaPct 1.5), NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (score 1446, deltaPct 2.5), and NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (score 1443, deltaPct 2.7). This places the Arc B390 just 1.3% ahead of the GT 520MX, a GPU that is over a decade old. The data clearly indicates that this is not a gaming-focused graphics solution, despite its DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4 API support.

The 4K performance figures corroborate this assessment. At 4K Ultra, the system manages only 36 FPS average, which is below the threshold for comfortable playability in most titles. Even at 4K Low, the 55 FPS average is marginal, and the frame rate is likely to dip in busier scenes. The pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s are modest figures that explain these results—the GPU simply cannot fill the 8.3 million pixels of a 4K frame quickly enough while also applying the texture and shading work required by Dave The Diver's colorful underwater environments.

The FP32 performance of 7.680 TFLOPS and FP16 of 15.36 TFLOPS (2:1) provide context for the GPU's compute capabilities. These are respectable numbers for an integrated solution, but they do not translate into adequate rasterization performance for high-resolution gaming. The 80 W TDP and "IGP" slot width confirm that this is an integrated graphics processor, not a discrete card, and its performance ceiling is fundamentally limited by its design.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D presents a stark contrast to the GPU's limitations. This processor, built on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge) using a 4 nm process at TSMC, is a high-end desktop part with 12 cores and 24 threads. Its base clock of 4.40 GHz and boost clock of 5.50 GHz are complemented by a substantial 128 MB L3 cache, which is particularly beneficial for gaming workloads. The CPU's benchmark scores are uniformly strong, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 47737 and a single-core score of 6739, along with a Geekbench multicore score of 22884.

The CPU's percentile ranking of 91 among all processors places it in the top 9% of all CPUs, and its nearest rivals in average benchmark score are similarly powerful parts. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF scores 55093 (deltaPct -0.6), the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K scores 54053 (deltaPct 1.3), the Intel Xeon 6505P scores 53701 (deltaPct 2), and the Intel Core i7-14700F scores 53620 (deltaPct 2.1). The 9900X3D's average benchmark score of 54762 positions it just slightly below the Core Ultra 5 245KF, a margin of only 0.6%, which is within run-to-run variance.

In the context of Dave The Diver, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 12490 and max-thread score of 13795 indicate strong multi-threaded performance, while the single-thread score of 1269 shows excellent per-core capability. The game, being an adventure title with relatively simple physics and AI, is unlikely to stress even a fraction of the CPU's 24 threads. The data supports this: performance scales almost entirely with resolution and settings, with no evidence of CPU-induced frame rate plateaus. The 1080p Low result of 108 FPS is likely the practical ceiling for this GPU, and a more powerful graphics card would unlock significantly higher frame rates without any CPU bottleneck.

The CPU's memory support for DDR5 with dual-channel configuration and 89.6 GB/s bandwidth is more than sufficient for this workload. The integrated Radeon Graphics on the CPU is not used in this configuration, as the Arc B390 handles display output, but its presence indicates the CPU is a well-rounded package. The launch MSRP of $599 for this processor reflects its high-end positioning, though the actual gaming experience in this title is constrained entirely by the GPU.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings at each resolution, balancing visual quality against playability. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers 108 FPS average, which is smooth and responsive. However, the Medium preset at 91 FPS average offers a substantial visual upgrade with only a 16% performance penalty, making it the recommended choice for 1080p gaming. High at 81 FPS is still playable, but Ultra at 72 FPS begins to approach the threshold where frame rate variability becomes noticeable in a game that requires precise timing for harpoon shots and underwater navigation.

For 2560x1440, the Low preset at 82 FPS is the only option that exceeds 60 FPS average, providing a comfortable experience. The Medium preset at 68 FPS is the sweet spot for visual fidelity, offering a 17% improvement in image quality over Low while maintaining playable frame rates. High at 61 FPS is borderline but acceptable for a game that is not twitch-based, while Ultra at 54 FPS is below the 60 FPS target and should be avoided. The data suggests that Medium is the best compromise at 1440p, as it provides better lighting and shadow quality without sacrificing smoothness.

At 3840x2160, the situation is more challenging. The Low preset at 55 FPS is the only option that approaches playability, and even this is marginal. Medium at 46 FPS and High at 41 FPS are playable for a slower-paced adventure game but will feel sluggish during action sequences. Ultra at 36 FPS is not recommended. For 4K, the Low preset is the only sensible choice, and even then, players should expect occasional frame rate dips in densely populated areas. The data indicates that 4K is not a practical resolution for this GPU in this title, and 1440p is the realistic ceiling for a good experience.

The Medium preset's full min/max FPS data provides additional confidence in these recommendations. At 1080p Medium, the 77 FPS minimum ensures that even demanding scenes stay above 60 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the 58 FPS minimum means occasional drops below 60 FPS, but these are rare and brief. At 4K Medium, the 39 FPS minimum confirms that the experience will be inconsistent. Users with variable refresh rate monitors may find 1440p High acceptable, as the 61 FPS average with likely dips into the mid-50s can be smoothed out by adaptive sync technology.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Dave The Diver at 4K?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, where it achieves a 55 FPS average. The Medium preset drops to 46 FPS, and Ultra falls to 36 FPS, making 4K gaming a marginal experience limited to the lowest quality settings.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p gaming?

A: The Medium preset at 91 FPS average offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. It provides a 17% frame rate reduction compared to Low (108 FPS) but delivers significantly better graphics while maintaining a 77 FPS minimum.

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

A: The Arc B390 scores 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, placing it 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463) and 2.7% ahead of the GT 710 (1443). This positions it at the 9th percentile of all GPUs, indicating entry-level performance.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D a bottleneck in this game?

A: No. The CPU's benchmark scores, including a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 47737 and a 91st percentile ranking, far exceed the demands of Dave The Diver. The frame rate scaling with resolution confirms the GPU is the sole limiting factor.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1440p with High settings?

A: The High preset at 2560x1440 delivers a 61 FPS average. This is playable but close to the 60 FPS target, and the Medium preset at 68 FPS is recommended for a more comfortable margin.

Q: Does the system support modern graphics APIs?

A: Yes, the Intel Arc B390 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, ensuring compatibility with the latest graphical features, though its raw performance limits their practical use.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete dataset of measured frame rates is presented below, organized by resolution and settings preset. All values are average FPS unless otherwise noted, with min and max values provided where available.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 108 FPS average
• Medium: 91 FPS average, 77 FPS minimum, 104 FPS maximum
• High: 81 FPS average
• Ultra: 72 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 82 FPS average
• Medium: 68 FPS average, 58 FPS minimum, 78 FPS maximum
• High: 61 FPS average
• Ultra: 54 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 55 FPS average
• Medium: 46 FPS average, 39 FPS minimum, 53 FPS maximum
• High: 41 FPS average
• Ultra: 36 FPS average

The data shows a consistent tiering across all resolutions: Low > Medium > High > Ultra, with the gap between Low and Ultra ranging from 33% at 1080p (108 vs 72 FPS) to 35% at 4K (55 vs 36 FPS). The Medium preset is the only one with complete frame time data, and its spread narrows as resolution increases—from 27 FPS at 1080p to 14 FPS at 4K—indicating that the GPU's saturation point brings more consistent frame pacing. This configuration is best suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming at Medium or High settings, with 4K reserved for the most undemanding visual presets.