Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver is an adventure title that, on paper, should not stress a desktop flagship CPU like the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D, yet the benchmark data for this specific pairing with the Intel Arc B390 reveals a system constrained almost entirely by its graphics solution. The combo ranks 2538 out of 2867 tested configurations, placing it in the bottom 12% of all pairings, a position that aligns more closely with an entry-level integrated graphics experience than with the high-end desktop components in this test. The data indicates a profound imbalance where the CPU’s substantial computational resources are left largely untapped, and the final frame rates are dictated by the GPU’s performance envelope across all tested resolutions and settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The overall standing of this combination is poor, with a combo rank of 2538 out of 2867 tested combos in Dave The Diver. This places the system in the bottom percentile of all configurations, suggesting that the user experience will be significantly below what most discrete GPU setups deliver. The ranking is a direct reflection of the GPU’s limitations; the Intel Arc B390 holds a percentile rank of 9 against all GPUs, meaning it performs better than only 9% of the graphics cards in the database. Its average benchmark score is 1482, which is remarkably close to its nearest rivals: the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463, deltaPct 1.3), the NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1460, deltaPct 1.5), the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446, deltaPct 2.5), and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (1443, deltaPct 2.7). These rivals are legacy or ultra-low-end parts, confirming that the Arc B390’s performance class is at the very bottom of the scale, a fact that dominates the combo’s overall ranking.

In contrast, the CPU is a top-tier part. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D sits in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 75779. Its nearest rivals are all within a fraction of a percent: the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 (75738, deltaPct 0.1), the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D (75716, deltaPct 0.1), the AMD EPYC 8224P (75582, deltaPct 0.3), and the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 (75488, deltaPct 0.4). The data shows that the CPU is performing as expected for its class, but the GPU’s 9th percentile standing pulls the entire system down. The gap between the CPU’s high percentile and the GPU’s low percentile is the defining characteristic of this combo, explaining its low ranking despite having one of the most powerful processors available.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge), featuring a base clock of 4.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.70 GHz. It includes a substantial 128 MB of L3 cache and supports DDR5 memory, which provides ample bandwidth for complex simulation tasks. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU demonstrates its strength: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42018 and a single-core score of 2259, with a Geekbench multi-core score of 26736 and a single-core score of 3064. In 3DMark tests, it scales well with thread count, scoring 2549 with 2 threads, 4963 with 4 threads, 9259 with 8 threads, 16374 with 16 threads, and 17184 with max threads.

However, the measured FPS data in Dave The Diver suggests that this CPU power is not the limiting factor. The game is not particularly demanding on the processor, and the scores indicate that even a fraction of the CPU’s potential would be sufficient to drive the GPU to its limits. The fact that the combo ranks so low, despite the CPU’s 95th percentile standing, implies that the game’s frame rate is bottlenecked entirely by the GPU. The CPU’s role here is to provide a stable platform with no frame pacing issues, which it does with ease, but it cannot compensate for the GPU’s low fill rate and shading power. The data shows that the CPU is overqualified for this task, as its massive multi-threaded capability is largely idle during gameplay.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture (Panther Lake), with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. It features 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, along with 12 ray tracing cores. Its pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s and its texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s, with a FP32 performance of 7.680 TFLOPS. The memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the host system’s RAM for video memory, with bandwidth that is system dependent. The GPU has a TDP of 80 W and is classified as an IGP with no dedicated power connectors.

The GPU’s performance is the primary constraint in this combo. Its average benchmark score in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 is 1482, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. This score is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, which are all legacy NVIDIA parts from a decade ago, such as the GeForce GT 710 (deltaPct 2.7). In the context of Dave The Diver, this means the GPU struggles to maintain playable frame rates even at lower settings. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the average FPS is 108, but this drops to 72 at Ultra. At 4K, the situation worsens, with the GPU delivering only 36 FPS at Ultra, indicating that the graphics card is overwhelmed by the resolution and quality demands. The GPU’s limited ROP count and memory bandwidth are the likely culprits, as the system shared memory cannot provide the high-speed access required for higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the performance envelope. At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are 108 FPS on Low, 91 FPS on Medium, 81 FPS on High, and 72 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 77 FPS and a maximum of 104 FPS, indicating some variance but generally stable performance. Moving to 2560x1440, the averages drop to 82 FPS on Low, 68 FPS on Medium, 61 FPS on High, and 54 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset at this resolution has a minimum of 58 FPS and a maximum of 78 FPS. At 3840x2160, the averages fall further to 55 FPS on Low, 46 FPS on Medium, 41 FPS on High, and 36 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset at 4K has a minimum of 39 FPS and a maximum of 53 FPS.

These numbers reveal a consistent pattern: each step up in settings costs a similar amount of performance, and each resolution increase has a predictable impact. The delta between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 36 FPS, while at 4K it is 19 FPS, showing that the GPU’s headroom shrinks as resolution increases. The fact that the 1080p Low setting achieves 108 FPS suggests the GPU can handle light loads, but it is not sufficient for a smooth high-fidelity experience. The data shows that even at 1080p Medium, the FPS drops below the 100 FPS mark, and at 1440p, it falls below 60 FPS for High and Ultra presets, which may not be ideal for all users.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling behavior is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. When moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, the average FPS on Ultra drops from 72 to 54, a reduction of 25%. From 1440p to 4K, the Ultra preset falls from 54 to 36 FPS, another 33% reduction. Comparing the extreme ends, the 1080p Low score of 108 FPS drops to 55 FPS at 4K Low, a 49% reduction. This scaling pattern is typical of a graphics card that is limited by its processing throughput and memory bandwidth, rather than by the CPU.

This data strongly indicates that the limiting component is the GPU. The CPU has more than enough headroom to handle the game’s logic at any resolution, as evidenced by its high single-threaded and multi-threaded scores. The FPS drops are directly proportional to the increase in pixel count, which is a classic sign of a pixel-bound workload. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar FPS across different resolutions, but the data shows a clear decline as resolution increases. The system shared memory for the GPU also contributes to this, as higher resolutions require more memory bandwidth, which is system dependent and likely insufficient for 4K gaming.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo capable of running Dave The Diver at 4K?

A: Yes, but only at reduced settings. The data shows average FPS of 55 at 4K Low, 46 at 4K Medium, 41 at 4K High, and 36 at 4K Ultra. These are playable but not smooth for all users, especially at Ultra where the FPS drops to 36.

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

A: The Arc B390 has an average benchmark score of 1482, which is 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463) and 2.7% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (1443). It is statistically similar to these low-end parts, indicating it performs in the same tier.

Q: What is the best resolution for a balanced experience?

A: The data suggests that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the combo can maintain high frame rates across most settings. At 1080p Medium, the average FPS is 91, and at High it is 81, which are both smooth. At 1440p, the FPS drops below 60 for High and Ultra presets.

Q: Why is the combo rank so low despite having a powerful CPU?

A: The combo rank of 2538 out of 2867 is driven by the GPU’s performance, which is in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. The CPU is in the 95th percentile, but the frame rate is limited by the GPU, resulting in a low overall ranking.

Q: Does the CPU performance vary across different thread counts?

A: Yes, the 3DMark scores show scaling from 2549 with 2 threads to 17184 with max threads. However, this scaling does not translate into higher FPS in Dave The Diver, as the game is not CPU-bound.

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

A: At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 72. At 4K Ultra, it drops to 36 FPS, which is a 50% reduction. This indicates that the GPU is heavily taxed by the higher resolution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience is achieved at 1920x1080 with the Medium preset, which yields an average of 91 FPS with a minimum of 77 FPS. This provides a smooth and stable frame rate without the graphical compromises of the Low preset. The High preset at 1080p is also viable, with an average of 81 FPS, but the Medium preset offers a better balance of performance and visual quality, as the jump to High only provides marginal visual gains for a 10 FPS loss. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the highest recommended setting, with an average of 68 FPS, but users may prefer the Low preset for a more consistent 82 FPS. For 4K, the data shows that only the Low preset (55 FPS) is practical for a smooth experience, as the Medium preset drops to 46 FPS, which may be acceptable for slower-paced gameplay but not ideal. The Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution above 1080p, as the frame rates fall below 60 FPS, leading to a less responsive experience. The data indicates that the Medium preset at 1080p is the sweet spot for this combo, offering a high frame rate while maintaining a respectable level of graphical fidelity.