Dave The Diver

The Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the Intel Arc B390 delivers playable, if not spectacular, frame rates in Dave The Diver. The data shows a combo that is heavily limited by the graphics solution, especially at higher resolutions, where the CPU's six cores and twelve threads are more than sufficient to keep up. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across settings and resolutions, providing a clear picture of what this hardware combination can achieve in this specific adventure title.

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

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Comet Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. It accesses a shared 12 MB L3 cache and supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. In the context of Dave The Diver, a game that is not typically demanding on multi-threaded performance, this processor's capabilities are largely held in reserve. The benchmark results confirm this: the CPU’s Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 10283, and its single-core score is 1451, indicating solid, if not class-leading, performance for a 10th Gen part.

However, the data from the measured FPS suggests that the processor is rarely the bottleneck. Consider the 1080p Low preset, which is the most CPU-bound scenario in the dataset. Here, the combo achieves an average of 108 FPS. When moving to the 1080p Ultra preset, the average drops to 72 FPS. This 36 FPS decline is almost entirely attributable to the increased graphical load on the Intel Arc B390, not the CPU. The i5-10400F’s 3DMark single-thread score of 688 and 2-thread score of 1350 provide ample headroom for the game's logic and draw calls, even at lower resolutions where the GPU is less taxed.

The processor's performance percentile of 68 versus all CPUs places it in a respectable mid-range position. Its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score include the Intel Xeon 6756E (0.2% faster) and the AMD EPYC 7552 (0.5% faster), while it edges out the Intel Core 7 160UL by 0.3% and the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C by 0.6%. These deltas are negligible in real-world gaming. In Dave The Diver, the i5-10400F is never the limiting factor; its 6 cores and 12 threads are more than adequate to feed the Arc B390 at all tested settings. The data indicates that users with this CPU should focus their tuning efforts on the graphics side, as the processor has the headroom to handle the game's requirements without breaking a sweat.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The measured FPS data for this combo reveals a clear trade-off between visual fidelity and frame rate. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 36 FPS, a significant margin. However, the game remains playable even at the highest settings. The 1080p Ultra preset averages 72 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold many players consider smooth. If a high refresh rate monitor is in use, the 1080p Low preset at 108 FPS is the only setting that truly takes advantage of it, but it comes at the cost of visual quality.

For a balanced experience, the Medium preset appears to be the sweet spot at 1080p. It delivers an average of 91 FPS, with a minimum of 77 FPS and a maximum of 104 FPS. The minimum frame rate is crucial here; it shows that the combo can maintain a relatively stable experience without severe hitches. The High preset at 1080p drops the average to 81 FPS, which is still smooth, but the Medium preset’s higher minimum frame rate suggests better consistency. At 1440p, the Medium preset again provides a solid experience, averaging 68 FPS with a minimum of 58 FPS. This is a playable frame rate, though not as fluid as the 1080p results. The High preset at 1440p manages 61 FPS on average, but the Medium preset's additional headroom in the minimums makes it the safer choice for maintaining a smooth feel.

The recommendation is clear: for this combination, the Medium preset offers the best balance of playable frame rates and visual quality across both 1080p and 1440p. It provides the highest minimum FPS in the data, which is a better indicator of a stutter-free experience than the average alone. The Ultra preset, while playable at 1080p, pushes the average down to 72 FPS and likely taxes the GPU unnecessarily. The Low preset, while fast, sacrifices too much visual fidelity for a frame rate advantage that the game's genre doesn't strictly require. The data supports Medium as the optimal choice for a practical, consistent experience.

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

The performance scaling across resolutions tells a definitive story about where the bottleneck lies. Looking at the High settings, the average FPS drops from 81 at 1080p to 61 at 1440p, and then further to 41 at 4K. This is a steep decline that is characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario. If the CPU were the constraint, we would expect to see a smaller frame rate difference between 1080p and 1440p, with the gap widening only at lower resolutions where the CPU has more work to do relative to the GPU.

The data shows the opposite. The transition from 1080p to 1440p at High settings results in a 20 FPS loss, while the transition from 1440p to 4K results in another 20 FPS loss. This linear and substantial decline with increasing pixel count is the classic signature of a graphics card that is saturated. The Intel Arc B390, with its 1536 shading units and 48 TMUs, is simply being overwhelmed by the pixel workload at higher resolutions. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482, which places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, confirms its low-end positioning. It is, in fact, only 1.3% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and 2.7% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 in that specific benchmark.

The CPU, on the other hand, shows no signs of strain. Its 3DMark max-threads score of 4735 and multi-core benchmarks are more than sufficient for the game's logic. The FPS drops are entirely attributable to the GPU's rendering capabilities. This is further evidenced by the fact that at 4K, even the Low preset only achieves an average of 55 FPS, which is lower than the 1080p Ultra result of 72 FPS. The Arc B390 is the limiting component in this configuration. Users should expect to lower settings or resolution to achieve higher frame rates, as the i5-10400F will not be the source of any performance ceiling in this game.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the grand scheme of tested hardware configurations for Dave The Diver, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-10400F and Intel Arc B390 lands in the bottom tier. The combo ranks 2538th out of 2867 total combinations tested. This places it in the 11.5th percentile of all combos, meaning that roughly 88.5% of the tested systems performed better.

This low ranking is a direct consequence of the Intel Arc B390's weak performance. The CPU's position is comparatively strong — it sits at the 68th percentile among all CPUs — but the GPU's 9th percentile ranking drags the entire combo down. The data shows a massive imbalance in capability between the two components. While the processor is a competent mid-range part, the graphics solution is decidedly entry-level, as evidenced by its proximity to ancient NVIDIA parts like the GeForce GT 625 OEM and GeForce 800M in the benchmark results.

For a builder, this ranking is a clear signal. The system is not suitable for high-refresh-rate or high-resolution gaming in Dave The Diver. It can manage 1080p gaming at playable frame rates, but it will not excel there. The performance is sufficient for a casual playthrough of this adventure game, but it is not a configuration that would be recommended for a primary gaming rig. The bottleneck is so pronounced that upgrading the GPU alone would yield a dramatic improvement in frame rates, while upgrading the CPU would provide almost no tangible benefit in this specific title. The combo's rank confirms the fact that a weak GPU can severely hamstring a capable CPU.

FAQ

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

A: Yes, but with significant compromises. At 4K with the Low preset, the average FPS is 55. The Medium preset drops to 46 FPS, and the High preset to 41 FPS. The Ultra preset is the lowest at 36 FPS. These are all playable, but the frame rates are far from smooth, and the Low preset is the only one that approaches a consistent 60 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution to play at for a smooth experience?

A: The data indicates that 1080p is the most practical resolution for this combo. At 1080p with the Medium preset, the system averages 91 FPS with a minimum of 77 FPS, offering the best balance of smoothness and visual quality. At 1440p, the Medium preset averages 68 FPS, which is playable, but the lower minimum frame rate of 58 FPS makes it a less consistent experience.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-10400F or the Intel Arc B390 the bottleneck in this game?

A: The benchmark data clearly shows the Intel Arc B390 is the primary bottleneck. The FPS drops significantly as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation. The CPU's performance metrics are strong, and it is capable of feeding the GPU at all tested settings. The GPU's low percentile ranking and benchmark scores confirm it is the limiting component.

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

A: In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark, the Arc B390 scores 1482. This is 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, 2.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710. These are all very close scores, indicating the Arc B390 is in the same performance class as these older, low-end parts.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, the Low preset averages 82 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 54 FPS. This is a difference of 28 FPS. The High preset sits in between at 61 FPS, and the Medium preset averages 68 FPS.

Q: Is there a significant performance difference between the High and Medium settings at 1080p?

A: Yes, there is a 10 FPS difference in the average frame rate. The High preset averages 81 FPS, while the Medium preset averages 91 FPS. The Medium preset also shows a higher minimum frame rate (77 FPS) compared to the High preset, suggesting better frame pacing and fewer dips.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The following is the complete set of measured average frame rates for this combo in Dave The Diver.

1920x1080

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

2560x1440

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

3840x2160

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

These numbers show a consistent pattern. At every resolution, the performance scales directly with the graphics preset, and the frame rate drops proportionally with the increase in pixel count. The lack of any anomaly in this data reinforces the conclusion that the GPU is the sole limiting factor, and the CPU's performance is consistent across all scenarios.