Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver presents an interesting case for the Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 combination. The benchmark data reveals a system that is not just playable but exceptionally capable at high refresh rates, with performance scaling that shifts the bottleneck depending on the resolution and preset. The measured frames per second indicate that this pairing is well-suited for the game's art style and mechanics, offering a smooth experience across the board. The core question is not whether it can run the game, but how to best configure it for the optimal balance of visual fidelity and frame rate, and where the limits of the hardware truly lie.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear hierarchy for settings optimization. For players targeting a standard 60 FPS experience, the Ultra preset at 4K is the only option that dips below this threshold, with an average of 58.4 FPS. For a flawless 60 FPS lock, the High preset at 4K, which averages 65.5 FPS, is a safer choice. However, the data suggests that the real sweet spot for this combo lies at 1440p. Here, the High preset delivers an average of 100.4 FPS, and even the demanding Ultra preset maintains a solid 88.7 FPS. This makes 1440p High the recommended baseline for a high-refresh-rate experience.

At 1080p, the system is clearly CPU-bound at lower settings, with the Low preset achieving 179.1 FPS and the Medium preset at 147.7 FPS. The jump from 1080p High (135 FPS) to 1440p High (100.4 FPS) shows a significant drop, but the 1440p result is still immensely playable. For the best experience, the data implies that 1440p High is the most balanced choice, offering a 74% higher frame rate than 4K High while providing a substantial resolution upgrade over 1080p. The Ultra preset at 1440p is also viable if visual quality is the top priority, sacrificing just over 11% of the High preset's performance. Ultimately, the data recommends prioritizing 1440p with High settings to leverage the GPU's capabilities without pushing into the steep performance cliff at 4K.

FAQ

Q: Is the RTX 2060 capable of running Dave The Diver at 4K?

A: Yes, the data shows it is playable at 4K. The High preset averages 65.5 FPS, and the Low preset averages 92.1 FPS. However, the Ultra preset falls to an average of 58.4 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for many users.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between settings at a given resolution?

A: The gap is most pronounced at 4K, where the difference between the Low (92.1 FPS) and Ultra (58.4 FPS) presets is 33.7 FPS. This represents a 36.6% performance reduction for the highest visual quality, indicating a significant GPU load increase.

Q: How does the CPU's single-threaded performance influence the game?

A: The i5-12400F has a strong single-thread score of 909 in 3dmark and 2332 in Cinebench R23. This is crucial for games like Dave The Diver, where the high frame rates at 1080p (up to 179.1 FPS on Low) suggest that the CPU's per-core speed is a key enabler for pushing beyond standard refresh rates.

Q: Is this system more likely to be limited by the CPU or GPU at 1440p?

A: The data suggests a balanced load. The frame rate scales down as settings increase (from 137 FPS on Low to 88.7 FPS on Ultra), which indicates the GPU is becoming a limiting factor. The fact that it can still achieve 100 FPS on High shows the CPU is not holding back performance at this resolution.

Q: What is the performance difference between the High and Ultra presets?

A: At 1080p, the drop is 15.1 FPS (from 135 FPS to 119.9 FPS). At 1440p, the drop is 11.7 FPS (from 100.4 FPS to 88.7 FPS). At 4K, the drop is 7.1 FPS (from 65.5 FPS to 58.4 FPS), showing that the relative cost of Ultra increases at higher resolutions.

Q: Should a user with a 144Hz monitor choose 1080p or 1440p?

A: The data shows that 1080p High (135 FPS) cannot fully saturate a 144Hz display, but 1080p Low (179.1 FPS) can. At 1440p, the High preset (100.4 FPS) and even the Low preset (137 FPS) fall short of 144Hz. Therefore, to fully utilize a 144Hz monitor, a user would need to play at 1080p with lower settings.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is the central component in determining visual fidelity and resolution scaling. Its 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus provides 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is sufficient for the textures and effects in this game. The GPU's benchmark scores, such as a Passmark G3D score of 14111, place it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 7600S, which is a marginal 0.5% faster, and the AMD Radeon Pro 5700, which is 1.7% slower. This indicates the RTX 2060 is a solid mid-range performer.

The GPU's clock speeds are 1365 MHz base and 1680 MHz boost. The performance scaling observed in the data is directly tied to these clocks and the GPU's compute resources. With 1920 shading units and 48 ROPs, the card can handle the pixel throughput required for Dave The Diver's 2D/3D hybrid art style. The data shows a clear pattern: as resolution increases, the frame rate drops, and the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 59.2 FPS, but at 4K, this difference shrinks to 33.7 FPS. This implies that the GPU is less constrained by the CPU at higher resolutions and is working closer to its full capacity. The RTX 2060's role is to provide the raw pixel-pushing power, and it does so admirably, keeping the game well above 60 FPS at 1440p High.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 ranks 1309 out of 1626 tested combos for this game. This places the system in the lower-middle tier of all possible configurations, which is expected for a mid-range pairing. This ranking is influenced by the overall performance ceiling set by both components. While the combo may not be at the top, the measured FPS data proves it is more than capable of delivering a smooth experience.

The CPU's benchmark percentile is 77, meaning it outperforms 77% of all CPUs, while the GPU's percentile is 58. The CPU is a relatively stronger component in this pairing. This is reflected in the game's performance at 1080p, where the high FPS numbers suggest the CPU is keeping up well. The combo's rank of 1309 suggests that while many systems are faster, this specific pairing is far from the bottom. The data implies that for a user with this hardware, the experience is defined by the GPU's limits at higher resolutions, making the combo's overall rank a reflection of its mid-range status in the broader ecosystem.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a predictable decline as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 135 FPS at 1080p to 100.4 FPS at 1440p, and then to 65.5 FPS at 4K. This represents a 25.6% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 34.8% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is not linear, with the jump to 4K being particularly punishing.

This scaling curve tells a story about the limiting component. At 1080p, the system is likely CPU-bound, as the i5-12400F's strong single-thread performance (909 in 3dmark) is what enables the high frame rates. The GPU has enough headroom to render the frames quickly. As resolution increases, the load shifts to the GPU. The RTX 2060's fill rate and memory bandwidth become the bottleneck. The steep drop to 4K, where the High preset averages 65.5 FPS, shows that the GPU is working at its limit. The data suggests that the system is balanced at 1440p, where neither component is severely limiting the other, making it the optimal resolution for this hardware.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1080p (1920x1080):

• Low: 179.1 FPS
• Medium: 147.7 FPS
• High: 135 FPS
• Ultra: 119.9 FPS

At 1080p, the system shows exceptional performance. The Low preset's 179.1 FPS indicates a CPU-bound scenario, as the frame rate is far above what most displays can show. The step from Low to Medium is a 31.4 FPS drop, and from Medium to High is a 12.7 FPS drop. The Ultra preset still maintains a very high 119.9 FPS, showing the GPU's capability at this resolution.

1440p (2560x1440):

• Low: 137 FPS
• Medium: 110 FPS
• High: 100.4 FPS
• Ultra: 88.7 FPS

1440p is the sweet spot. The Low preset drops to 137 FPS, which is still excellent for high-refresh displays. The scaling is more uniform here, with a 27 FPS drop from Low to Medium, and a 9.6 FPS drop from Medium to High. The Ultra preset's 88.7 FPS is a strong result, showing the GPU is handling the load well.

4K (3840x2160):

• Low: 92.1 FPS
• Medium: 73.5 FPS
• High: 65.5 FPS
• Ultra: 58.4 FPS

4K is where the RTX 2060 is pushed hard. The Low preset still manages a playable 92.1 FPS, but the High preset drops to 65.5 FPS. The Ultra preset falls below the 60 FPS threshold at 58.4 FPS. The data shows that for a locked 60 FPS experience at 4K, the High preset is the maximum, and even then, it is close to the limit.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F plays a critical role in enabling high frame rates. With 6 cores and 12 threads, it has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its architecture is Alder Lake, built on a 10 nm process. The CPU's benchmark results are strong, particularly in single-threaded tests. Its 3dmark single-thread score is 909, and its Cinebench R23 single-core score is 2332. This per-core strength is vital for games that rely on a single primary thread for game logic.

The CPU's average benchmark score is 19221, placing it in the 77th percentile. Its nearest rival is the Intel Core i7-8700K, which is only 0.1% faster, and the AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS is 0.3% slower. This shows the i5-12400F is a very competitive performer despite its mid-range positioning. In the game, this strength is evident in the 1080p results. The ability to hit 179.1 FPS on Low settings is a direct result of the CPU's high single-thread performance, as the GPU is not being fully utilized at that point. The data suggests that the CPU provides a solid foundation, ensuring that the GPU is not starved of data. As resolution increases, the CPU's role becomes less prominent, but its consistent performance ensures there are no frame hitches or stutters that could detract from the otherwise smooth experience.