Dave The Diver

# Dave The Diver — Intel Core i5-12400 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060

The Intel Core i5-12400 pairs with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 to deliver a remarkably fluid experience in Dave The Diver, with the data showing average framerates that remain well above 60 FPS at every resolution and settings combination tested. This 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Alder Lake generation operates with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, while the RTX 4060 brings 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus with 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The combination ranks 2003 out of 3710 tested combos for this game, placing it in the upper-middle portion of the database, yet the measured performance suggests that the game's modest demands allow this mid-range pairing to excel.

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

The Intel Core i5-12400 provides 6 physical cores and 12 threads, built on Intel's 10 nm process with an Alder Lake-S architecture. Its base clock of 2.50 GHz and boost clock of 4.40 GHz are supported by an 18 MB shared L3 cache, with 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core and 80 KB of L1 cache per core. The processor supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, and its integrated UHD Graphics 730 is present but irrelevant for gaming with a discrete GPU installed.

Benchmark results place this CPU at the 72nd percentile among all tested processors, with an average benchmark score of 18683. Its nearest rivals in the database include the AMD EPYC 7643 at 18697 (deltaPct -0.1), the Intel Core i7-1355U at 18730 (deltaPct -0.3), the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 at 18811 (deltaPct -0.7), and the Intel Core i3-14100F at 18519 (deltaPct 0.9). These tight deltas indicate that the i5-12400 sits in a performance band where small differences separate it from both server-class and mobile processors.

In Dave The Diver, the CPU's role appears secondary to the GPU, given that the game's pixel-driven workloads scale more with resolution than with thread count. The processor's single-thread performance, evidenced by a 3dmark single-thread score of 910 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2257, is more than adequate for the game's simulation and AI logic. Multi-threaded scores like the Cinebench R23 multicore result of 15989 and PassMark multithread score of 18747 suggest that even if the game were to utilize additional threads, the i5-12400 has ample headroom.

The data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the combination reaches 231 FPS average, which is the highest recorded figure in the measured set. This high ceiling indicates that the CPU does not bottleneck the GPU at lower resolutions where the graphics card would normally be less stressed. The 3dmark 2-thread score of 1692 and 4-thread score of 3012 further confirm that even lightly threaded workloads are handled efficiently, which matters for a game like Dave The Diver that may not scale perfectly across all 12 threads.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture using TSMC's 5 nm process, with 18,900 million transistors on a 159 mm² die. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz, with memory running at 2125 MHz (17 Gbps effective). Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which proves sufficient for Dave The Diver's art style and texture requirements at all tested settings.

The RTX 4060's compute resources include 3072 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, 48 raster output pipelines, 24 ray tracing cores, and 96 tensor cores. Pixel rate is 118.1 GPixel/s and texture rate is 236.2 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance rated at 15.11 TFLOPS. The GPU's 115 W TDP and dual-slot design with a single 12-pin power connector make it an efficient addition to this system, and the suggested 300 W PSU is modest.

In the database, this GPU sits at the 61st percentile among all tested GPUs with an average benchmark score of 17639. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon HD 7790 at 17666 (deltaPct -0.2), the AMD Radeon 780M at 17588 (deltaPct 0.3), the AMD Radeon Pro 560 at 17551 (deltaPct 0.5), and the AMD Radeon Pro 460 at 17509 (deltaPct 0.7). These comparisons show that the RTX 4060's average score is tightly clustered with older and integrated graphics parts, though its modern feature set and driver optimization for current titles like Dave The Diver yield strong real-world results.

The GPU's 8 GB VRAM capacity is not challenged by this game, as evidenced by the consistent performance scaling from Low to Ultra settings at each resolution. At 4K Ultra, the combination still manages 77 FPS average, which indicates that the memory bus and bandwidth are adequate for the game's texture streaming needs. The 272.0 GB/s bandwidth is a limiting factor at higher resolutions in more demanding titles, but the measured data for Dave The Diver shows no such constraint.

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

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on settings selection. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers 231 FPS average, Medium reaches 194 FPS, High achieves 173 FPS, and Ultra produces 153 FPS. All four presets exceed the typical 60 FPS target by a wide margin, so the choice depends on whether the user prioritizes maximum visual fidelity or maximum frame rate. The Ultra preset at 1080p still offers 153 FPS, which is more than sufficient for smooth gameplay, making it the recommended choice for users with 1080p displays who want the best visual experience without sacrificing responsiveness.

At 1440p, the same pattern holds: Low averages 174 FPS, Medium 146 FPS, High 130 FPS, and Ultra 115 FPS. The Ultra preset remains well above 100 FPS, so there is no reason to compromise on visuals at this resolution. For 4K, the presets yield 117 FPS at Low, 98 FPS at Medium, 87 FPS at High, and 77 FPS at Ultra. Even at the highest resolution and quality settings, the frame rate stays comfortably above 60 FPS, meaning that users can select Ultra at 4K without worrying about dips below playable thresholds.

The data indicates that the Medium preset offers the most balanced experience, with min FPS values recorded at 83 for 4K, 124 for 1440p, and 165 for 1080p. These minimums suggest that Medium provides consistent frame pacing without sudden drops. The Ultra preset does not have recorded min FPS values, but the averages are high enough that even potential dips would likely stay above 60 FPS. For users with high-refresh-rate monitors at 1080p or 1440p, the Low or Medium presets unlock frame rates that can take advantage of 144 Hz or higher displays, while those with 4K displays should opt for High or Ultra to balance visual quality with the still-excellent frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 achieves a rank of 2003 out of 3710 tested combos in Dave The Diver, placing it in the 54th percentile of all system configurations in the database. This mid-pack ranking is somewhat surprising given the high absolute frame rates measured, but it reflects the fact that many higher-end CPUs and GPUs are included in the database and naturally outperform this pairing.

The rank relative to other combos suggests that while this system is not at the top of the performance ladder, it delivers frame rates that are more than adequate for the game's requirements. The CPU's 72nd percentile ranking among all processors and the GPU's 61st percentile ranking among all GPUs combine to produce a system that punches slightly above its individual component percentiles in this specific title, likely because Dave The Diver is not exceptionally demanding on either component.

When compared to other combos that might pair the i5-12400 with faster GPUs or the RTX 4060 with faster CPUs, this pairing sits in the middle because neither component is a bottleneck at the tested settings. The data shows that the combination scales predictably across resolutions, which indicates that the balance between CPU and GPU capabilities is well-matched for this game. Users seeking higher rankings would need to invest in significantly more powerful components, but the measured frame rates suggest that the practical benefit of such an upgrade would be marginal for this title.

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

Analyzing the frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals how the workload shifts between CPU and GPU. At Ultra settings, the average FPS drops from 153 at 1080p to 115 at 1440p (a 24.8% decrease) and then to 77 at 4K (a 33.0% decrease from 1440p and a 49.7% decrease from 1080p). This steep decline at 4K indicates that the GPU becomes the limiting component at higher resolutions, as the pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K while the CPU workload remains relatively constant.

At Low settings, the scaling is different: 231 FPS at 1080p drops to 174 at 1440p (a 24.7% decrease) and then to 117 at 4K (a 32.8% decrease from 1440p and a 49.4% decrease from 1080p). The similar percentage drops across Low and Ultra settings suggest that the GPU is the primary constraint even at lower quality presets, because the resolution increase affects the GPU disproportionately regardless of the visual complexity.

The Medium preset shows a similar pattern with recorded min and max FPS values: at 1080p, the average is 194 FPS with min 165 and max 223; at 1440p, the average is 146 FPS with min 124 and max 168; at 4K, the average is 98 FPS with min 83 and max 112. The consistent scaling across all presets confirms that the RTX 4060's rasterization throughput and memory bandwidth are the key factors determining performance as resolution increases. The CPU's role is more prominent at 1080p where higher frame rates are achieved, but even at 231 FPS, the i5-12400 does not appear to bottleneck the GPU, as the frame rate continues to scale with GPU load.

The data suggests that for users targeting 4K, the RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for this game, but the GPU compute resources become the limiting factor as resolution rises. The 49.7% drop from 1080p to 4K at Ultra is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario, indicating that upgrading the CPU alone would not meaningfully improve 4K performance.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS achievable with this combination?

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 231, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. The lowest average is 77 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, meaning every tested configuration stays above 60 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-12400 compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The i5-12400 has an average benchmark score of 18683, which is 0.1% lower than the AMD EPYC 7643 (18697), 0.3% lower than the Intel Core i7-1355U (18730), 0.7% lower than the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 (18811), and 0.9% higher than the Intel Core i3-14100F (18519).

Q: Is 8 GB of VRAM sufficient for Dave The Diver at 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the measured data shows 77 FPS average at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings using the RTX 4060's 8 GB GDDR6 memory. The game does not appear to exceed this VRAM capacity at any tested resolution or settings level.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all tested GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks at the 61st percentile among all GPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 17639. Its closest rival is the AMD Radeon HD 7790 with a score of 17666 (deltaPct -0.2).

Q: Which settings preset provides the best balance of performance and visual quality?

A: The Medium preset offers the most balanced experience, with average FPS of 194 at 1080p, 146 at 1440p, and 98 at 4K. It is the only preset with recorded min FPS values (165, 124, and 83 respectively), indicating consistent frame delivery.

Q: How well does this combo rank among all tested system configurations?

A: This CPU-GPU combination ranks 2003 out of 3710 tested combos in Dave The Diver, placing it in the 54th percentile. This mid-pack ranking reflects the components' individual percentiles (CPU at 72nd, GPU at 61st) while still delivering high absolute frame rates.

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

At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS values are as follows: Low settings produce 231 FPS, Medium produces 194 FPS with a recorded range of 165 to 223 FPS, High produces 173 FPS, and Ultra produces 153 FPS. These numbers demonstrate that even the most demanding settings at 1080p leave significant headroom for high-refresh-rate displays, with all presets exceeding 150 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS values decrease but remain high: Low settings achieve 174 FPS, Medium achieves 146 FPS with a range of 124 to 168 FPS, High achieves 130 FPS, and Ultra achieves 115 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a consistent reduction of approximately 25% across all presets, which is typical for a GPU-bound workload.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS values drop further but stay above 60 FPS: Low settings produce 117 FPS, Medium produces 98 FPS with a range of 83 to 112 FPS, High produces 87 FPS, and Ultra produces 77 FPS. The min FPS of 83 at Medium 4K indicates that even the lowest recorded frame rate remains smooth, while the Ultra preset's 77 FPS average suggests that users can enable maximum visual quality at 4K without compromising playability.

The complete data set includes min and max FPS only for the Medium preset at each resolution, with 1080p ranging from 165 to 223, 1440p ranging from 124 to 168, and 4K ranging from 83 to 112. These ranges show that the Medium preset provides consistent frame pacing, with the spread between minimum and maximum remaining relatively tight at all resolutions. The absence of min and max values for other presets means that only the averages can be compared, but the consistent pattern across all settings suggests similar behavior for Low, High, and Ultra.