Dave The Diver

# Dave The Diver with Intel Core i3-12100F + Intel Arc B390

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the Intel Arc B390 produces a surprisingly playable experience in Dave The Diver, though the data reveals a system that is heavily constrained by its graphics component. The combo ranks 2538 out of 2867 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 12% of all systems, yet the measured frame rates tell a story of a game that is forgiving enough to deliver smooth gameplay at most settings, especially at lower resolutions. This analysis digs into the CPU's four-core architecture, the GPU's integrated-class performance, and how these two components interact across resolutions and quality presets.

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

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor based on Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, with a TDP of 58 watts. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. This is a modest processor by modern standards, but its benchmark scores reveal where its strengths lie: single-thread performance is respectable, while multi-threaded scaling shows the expected limitations of a quad-core design.

Looking at the benchmark data, the i3-12100F achieves a single-thread score of 893 in 3dmark, which climbs to 1659 in the 2-thread test and 2859 in the 4-thread test. Interestingly, the 8-thread score of 4026 is only slightly higher than the max-threads score of 4023, indicating that the processor's 8 threads are fully utilized by the 4 physical cores with hyperthreading, but adding more threads beyond that yields negligible gains. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 11860 and single-core score of 1674 further confirm this pattern: the chip is efficient per-core but does not scale dramatically with additional threads.

In the context of Dave The Diver, this CPU profile is more than adequate. The game is an adventure title that does not appear to demand high thread counts, and the data supports this interpretation. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 108 FPS average, while at 1080p Ultra it still manages 72 FPS. The fact that FPS drops by roughly 33% from Low to Ultra at the same resolution suggests that the graphics settings are influencing performance more than CPU capability. The CPU's 68th percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 13494, places it slightly above the Intel Core i5-9500 (13452, 0.3% slower) and just below the Intel Core 5 120UL (13594, 0.7% faster). This positions the i3-12100F as a mid-range performer that is unlikely to bottleneck in a game like Dave The Diver, where the graphical load appears to be the primary constraint.

The processor's memory support for both DDR4 and DDR5, along with dual-channel memory bus and PCIe Gen 5 support with 16 lanes, gives it platform flexibility. However, for this specific game, the CPU's role seems secondary. The measured FPS differences between resolutions — 108 FPS at 1080p Low versus 55 FPS at 4K Low — are far too large to be explained by CPU limitations alone. This gap indicates that the graphics processor is the limiting factor as resolution increases, while the CPU has ample headroom to feed frames at even the highest settings tested.

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

The Intel Arc B390 is a fascinating component in this configuration, described as an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Panther Lake chip with Xe3-LPG architecture built on a 3nm process. Its memory is "System Shared," meaning it draws from system RAM rather than dedicated VRAM, with memory type, bus width, and bandwidth all listed as "System Shared" or "System Dependent." This is a critical detail because it means the GPU's performance is tied to the system's memory configuration, and it explains why the GPU ranks in the 9th percentile among all GPUs with an average benchmark score of just 1482 in 3dmark Steel Nomad DX12.

The Arc B390's clock speeds show a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2500 MHz, with 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 ROPs. It has 12 ray tracing cores and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Its theoretical performance figures include a pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s, texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s, FP32 throughput of 7.680 TFLOPS, and FP16 throughput of 15.36 TFLOPS (2:1). The TDP is 80 watts, and it is a slot-width IGP with no power connectors, suggesting it shares power delivery with the host system.

The nearest rivals to this GPU are all NVIDIA GeForce parts from a much older era: the GT 520MX (1463, 1.3% slower), GeForce 800M (1460, 1.5% slower), GT 625 OEM (1446, 2.5% slower), and GT 710 (1443, 2.7% slower). These comparisons are striking because they place the Arc B390 in the company of entry-level discrete GPUs from over a decade ago, despite its modern architecture. The 9th percentile ranking underscores this: 91% of all GPUs tested perform better than this component.

Yet in Dave The Diver, the Arc B390 manages to deliver playable frame rates at most settings. At 1080p, it achieves 108 FPS on Low, 91 FPS on Medium, 81 FPS on High, and 72 FPS on Ultra. These numbers suggest that the game is well-optimized for lower-end graphics hardware, or that the visual demands of this adventure title are modest enough that even a GPU with integrated-class performance can handle them. The GPU's role becomes more apparent at higher resolutions, where the system-shared memory and limited ROP count (24) begin to show their constraints. At 4K, even Low settings drop to 55 FPS, and Ultra falls to 36 FPS, indicating that the GPU is struggling to fill the larger frame buffer.

FAQ

Q: Can this combination achieve 60 FPS at 1080p with High settings?

A: Yes, the measured data shows an average of 81 FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings. This is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold, and even Ultra settings at 1080p deliver 72 FPS average, so the system has headroom for higher quality presets at this resolution.

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

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F scores 13494 on average, which is essentially tied with the Intel Core 3 N355 at 13492 (0% difference). It is 0.3% faster than the Intel Core i5-9500 (13452) and 1.1% faster than the Intel Core i7-1250U (13351), while being 0.7% slower than the Intel Core 5 120UL (13594). These are all within a 1.8% performance band, making the differences negligible.

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this system?

A: The data indicates that 2560x1440 with High settings produces 61 FPS average, which is just above the 60 FPS playability threshold. For a smoother experience, 1920x1080 with Ultra settings delivers 72 FPS average, offering a good balance between visual quality and performance. At 4K, the system falls below 60 FPS even on Low settings (55 FPS), so 4K is not recommended for smooth gameplay.

Q: Why does the GPU rank so low compared to other components?

A: The Intel Arc B390 ranks in the 9th percentile among all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 1482, which places it near the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463, 1.3% slower) and GT 710 (1443, 2.7% slower). This is because it is an integrated graphics processor with system-shared memory, meaning its performance is fundamentally limited by the lack of dedicated VRAM and the constraints of sharing system memory bandwidth.

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

A: At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 108 at 1920x1080 to 55 at 3840x2160, representing a 49% reduction in performance. At High settings, the drop is from 81 to 41 FPS, a 49% reduction as well. This consistent halving of frame rates indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the CPU should be equally capable across all resolution changes.

Q: Does the game support ray tracing on this hardware?

A: The Intel Arc B390 does have 12 ray tracing cores and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), which includes ray tracing capabilities. However, given the GPU's low percentile ranking and integrated-class performance, enabling ray tracing would likely result in significantly lower frame rates than the already-measured values, though specific ray-traced performance data is not available in the measured FPS results.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings. At 1920x1080, all four presets deliver playable frame rates: Low averages 108 FPS, Medium averages 91 FPS with a minimum of 77 FPS, High averages 81 FPS, and Ultra averages 72 FPS. The most balanced experience at this resolution is High, which offers 81 FPS average without the visual compromises of Low or Medium, while still leaving enough headroom above 60 FPS that occasional dips should not be problematic.

At 2560x1440, the picture becomes more nuanced. High settings produce 61 FPS average, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold but offers no margin for demanding scenes. Medium settings produce 68 FPS average with a minimum of 58 FPS, meaning that while the average is solid, there will be moments where the frame rate dips below 60. Low settings at 1440p deliver 82 FPS average, providing a smoother experience but at reduced visual quality. For players who prioritize smoothness over fidelity, Low at 1440p is the safest choice; for those willing to accept occasional sub-60 dips, Medium offers a better visual experience.

At 3840x2160, no preset achieves 60 FPS. Low averages 55 FPS, Medium averages 46 FPS with a minimum of 39 FPS, High averages 41 FPS, and Ultra averages 36 FPS. Given these numbers, 4K gameplay is only feasible at Low settings, and even then, the 55 FPS average suggests that players should expect noticeable stuttering in busy scenes. The data indicates that this system is best suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming, with 1080p High or Ultra providing the best balance of visual quality and performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i3-12100F and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2538 out of 2867 tested combos in Dave The Diver, placing it in the 11.5th percentile of all systems tested. This is a low ranking, but it is important to contextualize it: the ranking includes all combinations of CPUs and GPUs, many of which feature high-end discrete graphics cards that dramatically outperform the Arc B390's integrated-class performance. The CPU itself ranks in the 68th percentile among all CPUs, which is a solid mid-range position, while the GPU ranks in the 9th percentile, dragging the overall combo ranking down significantly.

The disparity between the CPU and GPU percentiles suggests an imbalanced pairing. The i3-12100F is capable of much higher frame rates than the Arc B390 can deliver, particularly at lower resolutions where the CPU's 4-core, 8-thread design can push well above 100 FPS in this game. The GPU's 9th percentile ranking, with nearest rivals being the GT 520MX and GT 710, indicates that it is the primary bottleneck in this configuration. If a more capable discrete GPU were paired with this CPU, the combo ranking would likely improve substantially, as the CPU has demonstrated it can handle the game's demands at even the highest settings tested. However, as configured, this system is limited by its graphics solution, and the overall ranking reflects that constraint.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best performance. Low settings yield an average of 108 FPS, Medium produces 91 FPS with a minimum of 77 and maximum of 104, High achieves 81 FPS, and Ultra manages 72 FPS. All of these are above 60 FPS, making 1080p the most comfortable resolution for this hardware.

At 2560x1440, performance drops but remains largely playable. Low settings average 82 FPS, Medium averages 68 FPS with a minimum of 58 and maximum of 78, High averages 61 FPS, and Ultra averages 54 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 58 FPS indicates that while the average is above 60, there are moments where the frame rate dips below that threshold. High settings at 61 FPS average are borderline, and Ultra at 54 FPS falls below 60.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles significantly. Low settings average 55 FPS, Medium averages 46 FPS with a minimum of 39 and maximum of 53, High averages 41 FPS, and Ultra averages 36 FPS. No preset at 4K achieves 60 FPS, and even the Low preset's 55 FPS average is unlikely to provide a consistently smooth experience given the lack of minimum FPS data for that setting. The Medium preset's minimum of 39 FPS confirms that demanding scenes can cause significant frame drops at this resolution.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K reveals critical information about which component is limiting performance. At Low settings, the system goes from 108 FPS at 1920x1080 to 82 FPS at 2560x1440 to 55 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 24% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 49% drop from 1080p to 4K. At High settings, the progression is 81 FPS to 61 FPS to 41 FPS, showing a 25% drop to 1440p and a 49% drop to 4K. The consistency of these percentage drops across different settings is telling.

If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect frame rates to remain relatively constant as resolution increases, since the CPU's workload is largely independent of resolution. Instead, we see frame rates nearly halving from 1080p to 4K, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation. The Arc B390's system-shared memory and 24 ROPs are simply not capable of filling the pixel count at 4K at the same rate they can at 1080p. The pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s are theoretical maximums that the system-shared memory configuration likely cannot sustain in practice, especially at higher resolutions where memory bandwidth demands increase.

The scaling pattern suggests that the GPU is the definitive bottleneck in this system. At 1080p, the CPU has enough headroom to push the GPU to its limits, yielding 72-108 FPS depending on settings. As resolution increases, the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth constraints become the dominant factors, and the CPU's capabilities go underutilized. This is further evidence that upgrading the GPU would yield the most significant performance improvements, while upgrading the CPU would have minimal impact on this game's frame rates at any resolution. The data paints a clear picture: Dave The Diver is heavily GPU-bound on this hardware, and the Arc B390's integrated-class performance is the ceiling for this combination.