Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver presents an unusual scaling challenge for the Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D combination. The data shows a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at lower resolutions, yet still delivers exceptional frame rates that most hardware can only dream of matching. The measured results reveal a significant performance ceiling that shifts dramatically depending on the resolution and graphical preset selected, with the 1080p numbers suggesting the CPU is the limiting factor long before the RTX 5090 D breaks a sweat.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic case of a high-end GPU being held back by a mid-range processor at lower resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces 369 FPS, but this only increases to 335 FPS at 1440p and drops to 248 FPS at 4K. The relatively modest 34 FPS gap between 1080p and 1440p Low settings indicates that the CPU is the primary bottleneck at these lower resolutions, as the GPU has ample headroom to render frames but is waiting on the processor to feed it data.

The scaling pattern becomes more pronounced when examining the High preset. The 1080p High result of 333 FPS drops to 277 FPS at 1440p, a 56 FPS decrease, and then falls further to 186 FPS at 4K. This 147 FPS total drop from 1080p to 4K demonstrates that as the resolution increases, the GPU workload becomes more demanding, and the system begins to shift from a CPU-limited state to a more balanced configuration. The RTX 5090 D's massive 32 GB GDDR7 memory buffer and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth are clearly not being fully utilized at 1080p, where the processor's 6 cores and 12 threads become the constraining factor.

At 4K, the frame rate differences between presets tell a different story. The Low preset yields 248 FPS, Medium produces 208 FPS, High drops to 186 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 164 FPS. The 84 FPS spread between Low and Ultra at 4K shows that the GPU is finally becoming the dominant factor, as each step up in graphical quality has a meaningful impact on performance. The 4K Medium measurement includes a minimum of 177 FPS and maximum of 239 FPS, indicating some frame time variability, but nothing that would suggest instability.

The transition from 1440p to 4K is particularly revealing. At High settings, the drop from 277 FPS to 186 FPS represents a 33% reduction in performance, which is consistent with the increased pixel count demanding more from the GPU. This suggests that the RTX 5090 D is the primary driver of performance at 4K, while the i5-12400F's influence diminishes as the resolution increases. The benchmark results indicate that users seeking the highest possible frame rates should consider lower resolutions, but the 4K performance remains exceptionally strong for this game's requirements.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on which preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance for this combination. At 4K, the High preset delivers 186 FPS, which is a substantial 22 FPS improvement over Ultra's 164 FPS while likely offering nearly identical visual fidelity in most scenes. The 13% performance gain from dropping from Ultra to High is significant, and the difference between these two presets is often imperceptible in actual gameplay.

For those prioritizing maximum smoothness at 4K, the Medium preset at 208 FPS represents a compelling option. This setting provides a 22 FPS advantage over High and a 44 FPS advantage over Ultra, and the minimum frame rate of 177 FPS ensures that even the most demanding scenes remain well above the 165 Hz refresh rate that many modern displays offer. The 239 FPS maximum at Medium also shows that the system has occasional headroom for even higher performance.

At 1440p, the High preset at 277 FPS is the recommended choice for most users. This setting provides a 32 FPS improvement over Ultra's 245 FPS while still delivering excellent visual quality. The 1440p Medium preset at 310 FPS is the best option for competitive play or use with high refresh rate monitors, as the 335 FPS Low result offers diminishing returns on visual quality for only a 25 FPS improvement over Medium.

The 1080p results show that the Ultra preset at 319 FPS is actually the most sensible choice, as it delivers only 27 FPS less than Medium's 346 FPS and 50 FPS less than Low's 369 FPS. At these extreme frame rates, the difference between 319 FPS and 369 FPS is barely perceptible to the human eye, making Ultra the best visual experience without sacrificing meaningful performance. The minimum frame rates at 1080p Medium (294 FPS) and the maximum of 398 FPS at the same settings indicate that the system can push even higher when the scene allows.

FAQ

Q: Can this combination achieve 4K gaming at high refresh rates?

A: Yes, the data shows 4K High settings produce 186 FPS average, which exceeds 144 Hz monitors. The 4K Medium preset reaches 208 FPS, and even the demanding Ultra preset maintains 164 FPS.

Q: Is the RTX 5090 D bottlenecked by the i5-12400F in this game?

A: The benchmark results indicate CPU limitations at 1080p, where Low settings yield 369 FPS compared to 248 FPS at 4K. The scaling pattern suggests the processor constrains performance at lower resolutions, but the GPU becomes the limiting factor at 4K.

Q: What is the best resolution to use for maximum frame rates?

A: The 1080p Low preset delivers the highest measured average at 369 FPS. However, the 1440p Medium result of 310 FPS offers a better balance of visual quality and performance for most users.

Q: How much performance is lost when going from 1080p to 4K?

A: At High settings, the frame rate drops from 333 FPS at 1080p to 186 FPS at 4K, representing a 147 FPS reduction. At Low settings, the drop is from 369 FPS to 248 FPS, a 121 FPS decrease.

Q: Does the Ultra preset provide a significantly better experience than High?

A: At 4K, Ultra produces 164 FPS compared to High's 186 FPS, a 22 FPS difference. Given the marginal visual improvements typically associated with Ultra settings, the High preset appears to offer better value in performance.

Q: Are the frame rates stable across all presets?

A: The Medium preset at 4K shows a minimum of 177 FPS and maximum of 239 FPS, indicating some variability. Other settings do not have reported minimum or maximum values, but the averages suggest consistent performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D ranks 69th out of 3710 tested combinations for Dave The Diver, placing it in the top 2% of all systems benchmarked. This impressive ranking is driven primarily by the GPU's exceptional performance, as the RTX 5090 D sits in the 92nd percentile among all graphics cards with an average benchmark score of 77,712.

The graphics card's nearest rivals in the benchmark database include the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT with a score of 76,904 (1.1% slower), the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT at 78,940 (1.6% faster), and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 variants with scores of 79,396 and 79,605 (2.1% and 2.4% faster respectively). These small percentage differences suggest that the RTX 5090 D is competitive with other high-end cards, though the specific game performance may vary.

The processor contributes to this ranking through its 73rd percentile standing among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19,039. The i5-12400F's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS at 19,047 (0% difference), the Intel Core 3 201E at 19,056 (0.1% faster), the Intel Core i5-1335U at 18,982 (0.3% slower), and the AMD EPYC 7773X at 18,979 (0.3% slower). These marginal differences indicate that the CPU is well-matched with comparable mid-range processors.

The combination's rank of 69 out of 3,710 suggests that while the GPU is powerful enough to achieve top-tier positions, the CPU limits the system from reaching the absolute highest rankings. Systems with more powerful processors would likely achieve higher ranks, but the current configuration still delivers exceptional performance for this game, as evidenced by the frame rates measured across all resolutions and settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F features 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. This Alder Lake architecture processor has a 65W TDP and supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3 cache.

In Dave The Diver, the processor's single-threaded performance appears to be the key factor in determining frame rates at lower resolutions. The 3DMark single-thread score of 909 and Cinebench R23 single-core result of 1,680 indicate reasonable single-core capability, but the game's demands at 1080p seem to exceed what this processor can provide without becoming the bottleneck. The 1080p Low result of 369 FPS versus the 4K Low result of 248 FPS shows a 121 FPS difference, suggesting the CPU cannot keep up with the GPU's potential at lower resolutions.

The multi-threaded performance of the i5-12400F is respectable, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 12,380 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 9,472. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 5,895 and max-thread score of 5,912 are nearly identical, indicating that the processor's 12 threads are being fully utilized in multi-threaded workloads. However, Dave The Diver appears to be more dependent on single-thread performance, as evidenced by the significant frame rate drops at 1080p where the CPU is the limiting factor.

The processor's PassMark multi-thread score of 19,433 and single-thread score of 3,481 place it firmly in the mid-range category, which explains why the RTX 5090 D cannot reach its full potential at lower resolutions. The game's engine seems to have a hard ceiling around 369 FPS with this processor, regardless of graphical settings, as seen in the 1080p results where Low, Medium, High, and Ultra all produce results between 319 and 369 FPS. This narrow range of 50 FPS across all presets at 1080p confirms that the CPU is the primary constraint, not the GPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured frame rates for this combination provides a comprehensive picture of its performance across different resolutions and settings.

At 1920x1080 resolution, the Low preset delivers the highest average at 369 FPS, followed by Medium at 346 FPS with a minimum of 294 FPS and maximum of 398 FPS. The High preset produces 333 FPS, while Ultra achieves 319 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is only 50 FPS, indicating that the processor is the limiting factor at this resolution.

The 2560x1440 results show a wider spread between presets. Low produces 335 FPS, Medium achieves 310 FPS with a minimum of 264 FPS and maximum of 357 FPS, High delivers 277 FPS, and Ultra produces 245 FPS. The 90 FPS difference between Low and Ultra at this resolution demonstrates that the GPU begins to have a more significant impact on performance.

At 3840x2160, the scaling becomes more pronounced. Low produces 248 FPS, Medium achieves 208 FPS with a minimum of 177 FPS and maximum of 239 FPS, High delivers 186 FPS, and Ultra produces 164 FPS. The 84 FPS spread between Low and Ultra at 4K is the largest of any resolution, confirming that the GPU is the dominant factor at this resolution.

The data shows a consistent pattern across all settings: the frame rate decreases as resolution increases, but the rate of decrease accelerates at higher graphical presets. At Low settings, the drop from 1080p to 4K is 121 FPS (369 to 248), while at High settings the drop is 147 FPS (333 to 186), and at Ultra settings the drop is 155 FPS (319 to 164). This indicates that higher presets place additional load on the GPU, making the resolution scaling more pronounced.