Dave The Diver

# Dave The Diver: Intel Core i5-12400F + Intel Arc B390

Dave The Diver presents a unique challenge for the Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the Intel Arc B390 integrated GPU. This combination sits in the 2538th position out of 2867 tested combos in this game, placing it in the bottom 12% of all configurations. The benchmark data reveals a system that is fundamentally GPU-limited at every resolution tested, with the Arc B390's integrated design proving to be the decisive bottleneck. The measured frame rates tell a consistent story: this is a playable setup at 1080p with adjusted settings, but expectations must be tempered at higher resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K shows a steep, predictable decline that clearly identifies the GPU as the limiting component. At 1080p with High settings, the combo delivers 81 FPS average. Moving to 1440p High drops that to 61 FPS, a 24.7% reduction. At 4K High, the average falls to 41 FPS, representing a 49.4% decline from the 1080p baseline. This scaling pattern is characteristic of a system constrained by pixel throughput rather than CPU processing power.

The Low settings tier illustrates the same trend with slightly more headroom. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 108 FPS average. At 1440p Low, it drops to 82 FPS (a 24.1% decrease), and at 4K Low, it reaches 55 FPS (a 49.1% drop from 1080p). The consistency of these percentage drops across different settings presets strongly indicates that resolution scaling is the dominant factor, with the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth being the primary constraints.

The Medium preset provides the most complete data set, including minimum and maximum frame times. At 1080p Medium, the average is 91 FPS with a minimum of 77 and maximum of 104. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 68 FPS with a minimum of 58 and maximum of 78. At 4K Medium, the average is 46 FPS with a minimum of 39 and maximum of 53. The gap between minimum and maximum frames narrows as resolution increases, suggesting that the GPU is becoming more consistently saturated at higher pixel counts.

Ultra settings show the most dramatic resolution penalty. The system manages 72 FPS at 1080p Ultra, 54 FPS at 1440p Ultra, and just 36 FPS at 4K Ultra. The 50% reduction from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings mirrors the pattern seen at other presets. The data indicates that the Intel Core i5-12400F's six cores and twelve threads are more than adequate to feed the Arc B390 at all tested resolutions. The 3DMark results for the CPU — including a max threads score of 5912 and a single-thread score of 909 — suggest ample processing headroom for a game like Dave The Diver.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F brings substantial processing capability to this pairing. With 6 cores, 12 threads, a base clock of 2.50 GHz, and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, this Alder Lake-S architecture processor delivers strong single and multi-threaded performance. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 12380 and single-core score of 1680 indicate a CPU that can handle modern game logic and physics without breaking a sweat.

However, the benchmark results in Dave The Diver suggest the CPU is rarely the limiting factor. The consistent frame rate drops across resolution changes — approximately 25% from 1080p to 1440p and another 33% from 1440p to 4K at most settings — point to GPU-bound scenarios. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see smaller differences between resolutions, particularly at lower settings where the GPU has less work to do.

The CPU's 18 MB of shared L3 cache and per-core L1 cache of 80 KB provide sufficient data locality for game assets. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 5895 and 8-thread score of 4779 show good scaling across core counts, meaning the processor can handle both lightly-threaded game tasks and background workloads simultaneously. The PassMark multithread score of 19433 and single-thread score of 3481 further confirm that this CPU is not the constraint in this configuration.

The Arc B390, by contrast, is an integrated GPU with 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rivals for this GPU — the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463 average score, 1.3% delta), GeForce 800M (1460, 1.5% delta), GT 625 OEM (1446, 2.5% delta), and GT 710 (1443, 2.7% delta) — are all entry-level or legacy parts. This context explains why the GPU becomes the limiting factor even at 1080p.

FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest GPU rivals in Dave The Diver?

A: The Arc B390's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482 places it slightly above the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463, 1.3% faster), the GeForce 800M (1460, 1.5% faster), the GT 625 OEM (1446, 2.5% faster), and the GT 710 (1443, 2.7% faster). These are all very low-performing GPUs, which explains the modest frame rates observed.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12400F holding back the Arc B390 in this game?

A: No, the data does not indicate CPU limitation. The consistent frame rate drops across resolutions — roughly 25% from 1080p to 1440p and another 33% from 1440p to 4K — suggest the GPU is the bottleneck. The CPU's 3DMark max threads score of 5912 and Cinebench R23 multicore score of 12380 show ample processing capability.

Q: What is the best resolution to play Dave The Diver with this combo?

A: At 1080p, the system achieves playable frame rates across all settings, ranging from 72 FPS at Ultra to 108 FPS at Low. At 1440p, only Low and Medium settings remain above 60 FPS average. At 4K, all settings fall below 60 FPS, with the highest average being 55 FPS at Low.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Core i5-12400F has an average benchmark score of 19039, which is essentially tied with the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (19047, 0% delta). It is 0.1% slower than the Intel Core 3 201E (19056) and 0.3% faster than both the Intel Core i5-1335U (18982) and AMD EPYC 7773X (18979).

Q: What minimum frame rate can users expect at 1440p Medium?

A: At 1440p Medium, the measured minimum FPS is 58, with an average of 68 and maximum of 78. This suggests the system can maintain playable performance even in more demanding scenes at this resolution and setting combination.

Q: Is the Arc B390 capable of handling 4K gaming in Dave The Diver?

A: The data shows 4K performance ranges from 36 FPS at Ultra to 55 FPS at Low settings. While technically playable at Low, the 55 FPS average is marginal. Users seeking smooth 4K gameplay would need to accept significant visual compromises.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its strongest performance. With Low settings, the average frame rate reaches 108 FPS. Medium settings produce an average of 91 FPS with a minimum of 77 and maximum of 104. High settings yield 81 FPS average, while Ultra settings drop to 72 FPS. This resolution offers the widest range of playable options, with all presets exceeding the 60 FPS threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, the impact of the GPU's limited pixel throughput becomes apparent. Low settings average 82 FPS, still comfortably playable. Medium settings average 68 FPS with a minimum of 58 and maximum of 78, dipping just below 60 FPS at the lowest point. High settings average 61 FPS, while Ultra settings fall to 54 FPS. The data shows that 1440p is viable for most presets, though Ultra becomes marginal.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain high frame rates. Low settings produce an average of 55 FPS, the only preset to exceed 50 FPS at this resolution. Medium settings average 46 FPS with a minimum of 39 and maximum of 53. High settings average 41 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 36 FPS. None of the 4K presets achieve the 60 FPS target, making this resolution suitable only for users who prioritize visual fidelity over smoothness.

The scaling between resolutions follows a consistent pattern across all settings presets. From 1080p to 1440p, the average FPS drops by approximately 24-25% at every preset level. From 1440p to 4K, the additional drop ranges from 32-33%. This consistent scaling indicates that the Arc B390's rendering capabilities scale predictably with pixel count, with no unexpected performance cliffs or anomalies.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the Intel Arc B390 ranks 2538th out of 2867 tested combinations in Dave The Diver. This places the combo in the bottom 11.5% of all configurations tested, reflecting the Arc B390's position as an integrated GPU with limited gaming performance. The GPU's 9th percentile ranking among all GPUs, based on its 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482, is the primary driver of this low overall position.

The CPU component of this combo is far more competitive. The Core i5-12400F ranks in the 73rd percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19039. Its nearest rivals — the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (19047, 0% delta), Intel Core 3 201E (19056, -0.1% delta), Intel Core i5-1335U (18982, 0.3% delta), and AMD EPYC 7773X (18979, 0.3% delta) — all perform within a fraction of a percent of the i5-12400F. This makes the CPU a strong mid-range component that is being held back by the GPU's limitations.

In the context of Dave The Diver, this combo's ranking reflects the game's modest system requirements. The game is an Adventure title that does not demand extreme hardware, yet the Arc B390 still struggles to maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions. The measured frame rates at 1080p High (81 FPS) and 1440p High (61 FPS) are respectable for the game's genre, but the 4K results highlight the GPU's fundamental limitations.

Settings Recommendations

For users with a 1080p display, the Medium preset at 91 FPS average represents the sweet spot between visual quality and performance. The minimum of 77 FPS ensures smooth gameplay even in demanding scenes. Users seeking maximum smoothness can select Low settings for 1080p at 108 FPS average, while those prioritizing visual quality can choose High at 81 FPS or Ultra at 72 FPS, both remaining above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 1440p, the Medium preset delivers 68 FPS average with a minimum of 58 FPS, making it the recommended choice for balanced performance. Low settings at 82 FPS provide the most headroom for competitive play or scenes with heavy on-screen activity. High settings at 61 FPS are viable but offer less margin for frame rate dips. Ultra settings at 54 FPS fall below the 60 FPS target and should only be used by players who accept occasional stutter in exchange for maximum visual fidelity.

For 4K displays, the data suggests that Low settings at 55 FPS average is the only practical choice for gameplay. Medium settings at 46 FPS may be acceptable for slower-paced sections of Dave The Diver, but the minimum of 39 FPS could cause noticeable judder. High settings at 41 FPS and Ultra at 36 FPS are best reserved for screenshots or cinematic viewing rather than active gameplay. The 4K resolution appears to push the Arc B390 beyond its comfortable operating range in this title.