Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver, an adventure title from 2023, presents an interesting case study for the Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080. The benchmark data reveals a combination that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, but begins to show the CPU's limitations as resolution drops. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across various settings, providing a clear picture of what this hardware duo delivers in this specific title.

Resolution Scaling

The scaling of frame rates across resolutions is the most telling aspect of this benchmark set. At 4K (3840x2160), the RTX 5080 is clearly the dominant component. The average FPS drops from 213 at Low settings to 141 at Ultra, a massive 34% performance penalty for maxing out the visual fidelity. This indicates that at 4K, the GPU is working at its limits, with the i5-12400 providing enough headroom to keep the pipeline fed. The difference between Medium (179 FPS) and High (159 FPS) further confirms this, showing that each step up in quality demands a significant amount of GPU compute.

Moving down to 1440p (2560x1440), the frame rates jump considerably, but the pattern remains consistent. The RTX 5080 still has plenty of work to do, with the Ultra preset yielding 210 FPS and Low pushing to 318 FPS. The scaling here is slightly less dramatic than at 4K, but the GPU is still the primary bottleneck. The data suggests that at this resolution, the i5-12400 is capable of sustaining high frame delivery without becoming a constraint.

The most revealing data point appears at 1080p (1920x1080). Here, the gap between Low (366 FPS) and Ultra (279 FPS) narrows to just a 24% difference. While the GPU is still working, the frame rates are so high that the CPU's role becomes more significant. The i5-12400, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, starts to become a more active participant in the performance equation. The fact that the FPS doesn't scale as dramatically as at higher resolutions suggests that the CPU is nearing its limit for this game's engine, preventing the GPU from fully stretching its legs even at Low settings. This is a classic sign of a CPU bottleneck emerging at lower resolutions with a very powerful GPU.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved at 4K resolution?

A: The highest average frame rate at 3840x2160 is 213 FPS, achieved with the Low preset. The Ultra preset drops this to 141 FPS.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between the Low and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset delivers 318 FPS, while the Ultra preset delivers 210 FPS. This represents a significant 108 FPS difference, highlighting the visual cost of the Ultra settings.

Q: At which resolution and settings does the combo show the highest frame rate?

A: The highest recorded average frame rate is 366 FPS, which occurs at 1920x1080 with the Low preset.

Q: Is there a significant performance drop between 1440p and 4K on the High preset?

A: Yes. The average FPS on the High preset drops from 238 at 2560x1440 to 159 at 3840x2160. This is a 79 FPS reduction, showing the substantial load increase of 4K rendering.

Q: Are there any recorded minimum frame rate data points?

A: Yes, minimum FPS data is only provided for the Medium preset across all three resolutions. At 4K, the minimum is 152 FPS; at 1440p, it is 227 FPS; and at 1080p, it is 292 FPS.

Q: Does the data indicate a CPU or GPU bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU begins to play a more limiting role at 1080p. While the GPU is still the primary renderer, the frame rate scaling from Low to Ultra is less pronounced than at higher resolutions, indicating that the i5-12400 is becoming a constraint at these very high frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the context of this database, the combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 ranks 206th out of 3710 tested combinations for Dave The Diver. This places it in the top 5.5% of all tested systems, a strong showing that reflects the high performance of the RTX 5080. The percentile ranking for the CPU alone is 72, and for the GPU it is 87, which contextualizes the overall combo rank. The system is clearly capable of delivering a top-tier experience in this game.

The performance level is largely driven by the GPU's capabilities. The RTX 5080's nearest rivals in the database include the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE, which has an average score 2.2% higher. This close competition positions the RTX 5080 in a highly competitive performance tier. The i5-12400, while not a top-tier CPU, is still a capable partner. Its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7643 and the Intel Core i7-1355U, with average score deltas of -0.1% and -0.3% respectively. This indicates the i5-12400's performance is in a well-populated mid-range segment, but it is the GPU that propels this combo to its high rank.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at performance. Here is the full breakdown:

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: Average FPS of 213.
• Medium: Average FPS of 179, with a minimum of 152 and a maximum of 205.
• High: Average FPS of 159.
• Ultra: Average FPS of 141.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: Average FPS of 318.
• Medium: Average FPS of 266, with a minimum of 227 and a maximum of 306.
• High: Average FPS of 238.
• Ultra: Average FPS of 210.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: Average FPS of 366.
• Medium: Average FPS of 343, with a minimum of 292 and a maximum of 395.
• High: Average FPS of 316.
• Ultra: Average FPS of 279.

The data shows a clear trend: frame rates are exceptionally high across all settings. Even at the most demanding 4K Ultra preset, the average FPS of 141 is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at each resolution provides a measurable minimum FPS, offering a data point for frame time consistency. At 1080p Medium, for example, the minimum FPS of 292 ensures a very fluid experience.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend on the user's display and preference for visual fidelity versus raw frame rate. For a 4K display, the High preset is a strong recommendation. It delivers an average of 159 FPS, which is a significant improvement over the 141 FPS of Ultra, while still offering a visually rich experience. The step down from Ultra to High provides a 12.7% performance boost with a likely minor visual impact. For those who prioritize maximum smoothness over visuals, the Medium preset at 4K offers 179 FPS, but the jump to High is only a 12% drop, making High a more balanced choice.

At 1440p, the Ultra preset is a very viable option. With an average of 210 FPS, it provides an excellent balance of high visual quality and performance that far exceeds the needs of most high-refresh-rate monitors. The High preset, at 238 FPS, is even faster and could be used to maximize refresh rates on 240Hz displays. Dropping to Low at 1440p yields 318 FPS, which is likely unnecessary for most users.

For 1080p, the data suggests that the Ultra preset is the best choice to get the most out of the hardware. At 279 FPS, it provides an incredibly smooth experience that is more than sufficient for even the fastest gaming monitors. Since the CPU begins to limit performance at this resolution, there is less benefit to dropping from Ultra to High. The difference between the two is only 37 FPS (279 vs 316), and the visual quality gain from Ultra is generally worth it. The Medium preset, with a minimum FPS of 292, also shows excellent frame consistency.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. In Dave The Diver, the CPU's role is to manage game logic, physics, and draw calls, and the data shows it performs this task admirably. Its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15989 and a single-core score of 2257, indicate it has solid processing power for a modern mid-range chip.

However, the data from the 1080p resolution benchmarks reveals the CPU's growing influence. While the RTX 5080 is the primary driver of frame rates at 4K and 1440p, the scaling at 1080p suggests that the CPU is nearing its limit. The relatively small performance difference between Low (366 FPS) and High (316 FPS) settings at 1080p, compared to the larger gaps at higher resolutions, indicates that the CPU cannot feed the GPU fast enough to fully utilize its potential at these extreme frame rates. The 12 threads and 18 MB of shared L3 cache provide enough parallel processing for the game's engine, but the sheer speed of the RTX 5080 means the CPU's single-thread performance becomes a more critical factor at lower resolutions. The data indicates the i5-12400 is a strong partner but is the limiting component in this pairing when targeting maximum frame rates at 1080p.