Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver pairs the Intel Core i5-11400F with the Intel Arc B390, a combination that lands in the 2538th position out of 2867 tested combos for this title. The CPU is a 6-core, 12-thread Rocket Lake part with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, while the GPU is an integrated Panther Lake chip based on Xe3-LPG architecture with 1536 shading units and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. The benchmark results reveal a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics solution, as evidenced by the fact that the CPU sits in the 71st percentile among all processors while the GPU languishes in the 9th percentile.

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

The Intel Core i5-11400F provides 6 physical cores and 12 threads, which is a configuration that generally handles modern game logic without breaking a sweat. Its 2.60 GHz base clock and 4.40 GHz boost clock offer a solid frequency range, and the 12 MB of shared L3 cache helps keep frequently accessed data close to the cores. The CPU's benchmark scores reinforce this: it achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 14340 and a single-core score of 2024, while Geekbench results show 7737 multicore and 1777 single-core. These figures place it well above the median, and the 71st percentile ranking against all CPUs confirms that processing power is not the bottleneck here.

Looking at the nearest rivals, the i5-11400F is essentially tied with the AMD EPYC 7H12, which has an average score of 17120 compared to the i5's 17177 — a delta of just 0.3%. It also sits within a hair of the Intel Core i5-12450H (17239, -0.4%) and the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G (17278, -0.6%). This clustering suggests that for Dave The Diver, any of these CPUs would deliver nearly identical frame rates, as the game's demands on the processor are clearly modest.

The data shows that even at 1080p with Low settings, where CPU load is typically highest relative to GPU load, the system produces 108 FPS. This is far from a CPU-limited scenario. The 3DMark results for the processor tell a similar story: 868 in single-thread, 1691 in 2-thread, 3171 in 4-thread, 4691 in 8-thread, and 5652 in max-thread tests. The scaling from 4 to 8 threads (a 48% increase) and from 8 to max threads (a 20% increase) indicates that the CPU has headroom for multithreaded workloads, but Dave The Diver simply does not push it hard. The game's adventure genre typically involves moderate entity counts and scripting, not the heavy simulation of strategy titles, so the i5-11400F's 6 cores are ample.

In practical terms, the CPU's role in this combo is to stay out of the way. With a Passmark multithread score of 16908 and floating point math at 34127, the processor has more than enough throughput to feed the GPU. The fact that frame rates drop consistently as resolution increases — from 108 FPS at 1080p Low to 55 FPS at 4K Low — points squarely at the graphics card as the limiting factor. The CPU is effectively idle in this partnership, providing a stable platform for the Arc B390 to work within.

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

The Intel Arc B390 is the clear weak link in this configuration. As an integrated GPU (IGP) with system-shared memory, it has no dedicated VRAM; instead, it draws from the system's DDR4 pool. Its memory bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which means performance can vary based on the host system's RAM configuration, but the benchmark results consistently show a GPU that struggles to maintain high frame rates. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile among all GPUs, and its nearest rivals are ancient low-end parts: the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463, +1.3%), GeForce 800M (1460, +1.5%), GT 625 OEM (1446, +2.5%), and GT 710 (1443, +2.7%). This is not a competitive gaming GPU; it is a chip designed for basic display output, and Dave The Diver's requirements push it to its limits.

The GPU's specifications explain why. With a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost of 2500 MHz, the Arc B390 has a theoretical FP32 throughput of 7.680 TFLOPS. It features 48 texture mapping units and 24 raster operation pipelines, yielding a pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s. These numbers are respectable for an integrated solution, but they pale in comparison to what discrete gaming GPUs offer. The 12 ray tracing cores and DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) support are forward-looking, but Dave The Diver likely does not leverage ray tracing heavily, so those features offer little practical benefit here.

The GPU's performance profile in the measured data is telling. At 4K Ultra, it manages only 36 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. Even at 1080p Low, it peaks at 108 FPS, but this is the absolute ceiling. The gap between Low and Ultra settings at any resolution reveals the GPU's sensitivity to graphical load: at 1080p, dropping from Low to Ultra costs 36 FPS (from 108 to 72), and at 4K, the same setting change costs 19 FPS (from 55 to 36). This indicates that the GPU is the primary determinant of performance, as the CPU's contribution is negligible in comparison.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-11400F strong enough for Dave The Diver?

A: Yes, the data shows the CPU is not a bottleneck. It ranks in the 71st percentile among all CPUs, and its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 14340 indicates ample processing power. The frame rates scale almost entirely with GPU load, not CPU load.

Q: Why does the system perform so poorly at 4K Ultra (36 FPS) when the CPU is capable?

A: The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated GPU in the 9th percentile, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of just 1482. It lacks dedicated VRAM and relies on system-shared memory, which severely limits its ability to handle high-resolution textures and effects.

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

A: The Arc B390 scores 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad, which is 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463) and 1.5% higher than the GeForce 800M (1460). It also edges out the GT 625 OEM (1446, +2.5%) and GT 710 (1443, +2.7%), but these are all very low-end parts.

Q: What is the best resolution to play at with this combo?

A: Based on the measured results, 1080p is the only resolution where the system can consistently exceed 60 FPS. At 1080p Medium, it averages 91 FPS, and at 1080p High, it averages 81 FPS. At 1440p, only Low settings (82 FPS) reach that threshold.

Q: Does the CPU's 6-core/12-thread configuration matter for this game?

A: The 6 cores and 12 threads are more than sufficient. The CPU's scaling from 4-thread (3171) to 8-thread (4691) to max-thread (5652) 3DMark scores shows headroom, but the game's frame rates do not improve with CPU headroom — they are capped by the GPU.

Q: Is there any scenario where this combo achieves 4K playability?

A: At 4K Low, the system averages 55 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. At 4K Medium, it drops to 46 FPS, and at 4K High, it falls to 41 FPS. Only the Low preset at 4K approaches a playable frame rate.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a clear picture of how this combo performs across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best results: Low settings yield an average of 108 FPS, Medium averages 91 FPS with a minimum of 77 and maximum of 104, High averages 81 FPS, and Ultra averages 72 FPS. This is the only resolution where all settings maintain playable frame rates above 60 FPS, and even the Ultra preset holds up reasonably well.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance drops noticeably. Low settings average 82 FPS, which is still smooth, but Medium drops to 68 FPS (58-78 range), High falls to 61 FPS, and Ultra dips to 54 FPS. The 1440p results show that the GPU begins to struggle with higher settings, and the Ultra preset falls below the 60 FPS threshold that many players consider minimum for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the system is clearly overmatched. Low settings average 55 FPS, which is borderline playable, but Medium drops to 46 FPS (39-53 range), High falls to 41 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 36 FPS. None of these 4K results provide a consistently smooth experience, and the minimum frame rates in the Medium preset suggest occasional stutters. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 19 FPS, representing a 34% performance loss from the highest settings to the lowest.

The data also reveals how settings scale differently across resolutions. At 1080p, the jump from Low to Ultra costs 36 FPS (33% loss), while at 1440p it costs 28 FPS (34% loss), and at 4K it costs 19 FPS (35% loss). This consistent percentage loss indicates that the GPU is uniformly stressed by increased graphical quality, regardless of resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's ranking of 2538 out of 2867 tested combinations places it in the bottom 11% of all systems tested for Dave The Diver. This is a poor showing, and it aligns perfectly with the GPU's 9th percentile ranking. The CPU's 71st percentile ranking is effectively wasted in this pairing, as the integrated GPU cannot leverage the processor's capabilities.

To understand the implications, consider that the combo rank is determined by actual measured performance, not component specifications. The fact that this system ranks so low despite having a capable CPU suggests that the GPU is the overwhelming constraint. In fact, the CPU's nearest rivals — the AMD EPYC 7H12, Intel Core i5-12450H, AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G, and Intel Core Ultra 7 164U — all have nearly identical average scores (within 0.6% of the i5-11400F), so swapping the CPU would change almost nothing. The GPU, on the other hand, is the sole reason this combo falls to the 2538th position.

This ranking also implies that most other tested combos involve discrete GPUs, which are categorically more powerful than integrated solutions. The Arc B390's nearest GPU rivals are all legacy parts from the early 2010s, and even those are only marginally slower. This places the combo in a performance tier that is simply not suited for modern gaming at high settings.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution. At 1080p, the Medium preset provides the best balance of visual quality and performance, averaging 91 FPS with a minimum of 77 FPS. This ensures smooth gameplay with only minor dips, and the 13 FPS improvement over High (81 FPS) is more valuable than the visual upgrade that High offers over Medium. For players who prioritize frame rate, Low at 1080p delivers 108 FPS, but the visual compromise is significant.

At 1440p, the Low preset is the only setting that consistently stays above 60 FPS, averaging 82 FPS. Medium averages 68 FPS, which is playable but with a minimum of 58 FPS that could cause noticeable stutters. High and Ultra fall to 61 and 54 FPS respectively, making them less ideal for smooth gameplay. The recommendation here is to use Low settings at 1440p for the best experience, or Medium if the player can tolerate occasional dips below 60 FPS.

At 4K, the situation is grim. Low settings average 55 FPS, which is technically playable but not smooth. Medium drops to 46 FPS, and High and Ultra fall to 41 and 36 FPS respectively. None of these provide a satisfactory experience, so the only viable option is Low settings, and even that will feel less fluid than 60 FPS. Players who insist on 4K should be prepared for a compromised experience.

The overarching recommendation is to play at 1080p with Medium settings, as this delivers the highest frame rate (91 FPS) while maintaining a reasonable minimum (77 FPS) and a good balance of visual fidelity. The 1080p Medium preset is the sweet spot for this hardware combination.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is stark and reveals the GPU as the limiting component. At Low settings, performance goes from 108 FPS at 1080p to 82 FPS at 1440p (a 24% drop) and then to 55 FPS at 4K (a 33% drop from 1440p, or 49% from 1080p). At Medium settings, the progression is 91 FPS at 1080p, 68 FPS at 1440p (a 25% drop), and 46 FPS at 4K (a 32% drop from 1440p, or 49% from 1080p). High settings show 81 FPS at 1080p, 61 FPS at 1440p (a 25% drop), and 41 FPS at 4K (a 33% drop from 1440p, or 49% from 1080p). Ultra follows the same pattern: 72 FPS at 1080p, 54 FPS at 1440p (a 25% drop), and 36 FPS at 4K (a 33% drop from 1440p, or 50% from 1080p).

The consistency of these percentage drops across all settings is significant. Whether on Low or Ultra, moving from 1080p to 1440p costs roughly 25% of performance, and moving from 1440p to 4K costs roughly 33%. This uniform scaling indicates that the GPU is being pushed to its limits at each resolution, and the pixel count increase is directly translating into proportional frame rate losses. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see smaller percentage drops at higher resolutions, as the GPU would have more time to render each frame. Instead, the constant percentage losses suggest that the Arc B390 is operating at maximum capacity even at 1080p.

The implication is clear: this system is GPU-limited at every resolution and setting combination tested. The CPU has ample headroom, as evidenced by its 71st percentile ranking and the fact that frame rates scale with GPU load. Players looking to improve performance would need to either reduce resolution to 1080p and accept Medium settings, or consider that this integrated GPU is fundamentally not designed for high-resolution gaming in Dave The Diver. The data shows a system that can deliver playable frame rates at 1080p Medium, but nothing beyond that.