Dave The Diver

# Dave The Diver: Intel Core i5-14400F + Intel Arc B370 — Benchmark Analysis

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the Intel Arc B370 produces a playable but constrained experience in Dave The Diver, with the GPU acting as the dominant bottleneck across all tested resolutions. The combo ranks 2642nd out of 2867 tested configurations, placing it in the lower 8th percentile of all combinations. The CPU, a 10-core/16-thread Raptor Lake part with a 4.70 GHz boost clock, is clearly not the limiting factor here; instead, the Arc B370's modest integrated-class performance caps frame rates well below what the processor could otherwise deliver.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep performance cliff as resolution increases, which is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p with High settings, the combo averages 73 FPS. Moving to 1440p High drops that to 55 FPS — a 24.7% reduction. Stepping up to 4K High yields just 37 FPS, another 32.7% decline from the 1440p figure. In total, the jump from 1080p to 4K at High settings costs 36 FPS, or roughly half the original frame rate.

This scaling pattern is consistent across all quality presets. At Low settings, the combo delivers 98 FPS at 1080p, 74 FPS at 1440p, and 49 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops between each resolution step are similar: 24.5% from 1080p to 1440p, and 33.8% from 1440p to 4K. Medium settings follow the same trajectory — 82 FPS at 1080p, 62 FPS at 1440p, and 41 FPS at 4K — with a 24.4% drop followed by a 33.9% drop. Ultra settings show 65 FPS at 1080p, 49 FPS at 1440p, and 33 FPS at 4K.

The consistency of these scaling ratios is telling. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see frame rates plateau at higher resolutions as the GPU becomes less stressed. Instead, the linear degradation with pixel count indicates that the Arc B370's rendering throughput is the hard ceiling. The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184 places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals — the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, ATI Radeon HD 5770, AMD Radeon HD 7650M, and AMD FirePro M2000 — are all legacy parts from a different era. This is not a GPU designed for high-resolution gaming.

At 4K, even Low settings cannot reach 60 FPS, capping at 49 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is just 16 FPS (49 vs 33), suggesting that the GPU is so saturated that reducing graphical load provides diminishing returns. At 1080p, the same Low-to-Ultra spread is 33 FPS (98 vs 65), showing that the GPU has more headroom at lower pixel counts. The data suggests that for this combo, resolution matters more than quality settings — dropping from 4K to 1080p at Ultra yields 65 FPS, while staying at 4K and dropping to Low only yields 49 FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It features a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, with 20 MB of shared L3 cache. Its benchmark scores are robust: Cinebench R23 multi-core hits 21645, single-core 3055; Geekbench multi-core reaches 11268 with a single-core score of 2058; PassMark multi-thread is 25470 and single-thread 3701. The CPU's percentile vs all CPUs is 83, meaning it outperforms 83% of all processors in the database.

The CPU's nearest rivals in aggregate benchmark score include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U (deltaPct 0.1), Intel Core i9-11900 (deltaPct 0.2), AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS (deltaPct -0.2), and Intel Core i7-12800H (deltaPct 0.5). These deltas are all within half a percent, indicating that the 14400F sits in a tightly packed performance tier. For Dave The Diver, an adventure game that is not typically CPU-intensive, this processor is more than adequate.

The real story is the mismatch between CPU and GPU capability. The 14400F is capable of feeding frames far faster than the Arc B370 can render them. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 98 FPS, but that figure is almost certainly GPU-limited rather than CPU-limited. The CPU's PassMark physics score of 1523 and floating-point math score of 61319 suggest plenty of headroom for game logic and physics calculations. The fact that frame rates scale so predictably with resolution — with nearly identical percentage drops at each step — reinforces that the CPU is not the constraint.

In practical terms, the 14400F would likely deliver significantly higher frame rates in Dave The Diver if paired with a more powerful GPU. The processor's 16 threads and 4.70 GHz boost clock are well-suited to maintaining consistent frame pacing, but the Arc B370's 1280 shading units and 6.144 TFLOPS FP32 throughput simply cannot keep up. The GPU's 3 nm Panther Lake chip, with its 300 MHz base and 2400 MHz boost clocks, is designed for low power consumption (25 W TDP) rather than raw gaming performance.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Dave The Diver at 60 FPS at 1080p?

A: Yes, at Low settings (98 FPS) and Medium settings (82 FPS), the combo exceeds 60 FPS at 1920x1080. High settings also clear the threshold at 73 FPS. However, Ultra settings drop to 65 FPS, which is still above 60 FPS but with less margin.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Dave The Diver?

A: The data shows 1080p is the only resolution where all four settings presets achieve at least 65 FPS. At 1440p, only Low (74 FPS) and Medium (62 FPS) remain above 60 FPS. At 4K, no preset reaches 60 FPS — the highest is Low at 49 FPS.

Q: How does the Arc B370 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184 is within 1.4% of its closest competitors: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1186, deltaPct -0.2), ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190, deltaPct -0.5), AMD Radeon HD 7650M (1192, deltaPct -0.7), and AMD FirePro M2000 (1168, deltaPct 1.4). These are all older integrated or entry-level discrete parts.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14400F holding back the Arc B370?

A: No. The CPU's benchmark scores (Cinebench R23 multi-core 21645, single-core 3055) and 83rd percentile ranking indicate it is far more capable than the GPU. The consistent frame rate drops across resolutions — roughly 24-34% per step — point to the GPU as the limiting component.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: The measured average is 62 FPS, with a minimum of 52 FPS and a maximum of 71 FPS. This is the only 1440p preset besides Low that maintains an average above 60 FPS. High (55 FPS) and Ultra (49 FPS) fall short.

Q: Does lowering settings help more at 4K or 1080p?

A: Lowering settings from Ultra to Low at 1080p gains 33 FPS (65 to 98). At 4K, the same change gains only 16 FPS (33 to 49). This indicates that at 4K the GPU is so heavily loaded that reducing quality has limited benefit, while at 1080p the GPU has more headroom to exploit.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 98 FPS average
• Medium: 82 FPS average (minimum 70, maximum 94)
• High: 73 FPS average
• Ultra: 65 FPS average

At 1080p, all presets are playable, with even Ultra maintaining 65 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 33 FPS, showing that the GPU can handle quality scaling at this resolution. Medium provides a solid middle ground with an 82 FPS average and a 70 FPS minimum, ensuring consistent frame delivery.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 74 FPS average
• Medium: 62 FPS average (minimum 52, maximum 71)
• High: 55 FPS average
• Ultra: 49 FPS average

The 1440p results show a clear split. Low and Medium stay above 60 FPS, but High and Ultra fall below that threshold. Medium's minimum of 52 FPS indicates occasional dips, though the average remains respectable. The transition from 1080p to 1440p costs roughly 24-25% of frame rate across all presets.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 49 FPS average
• Medium: 41 FPS average (minimum 35, maximum 47)
• High: 37 FPS average
• Ultra: 33 FPS average

At 4K, the combo struggles to maintain playable frame rates. Low settings barely reach 49 FPS, and every other preset falls below 45 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 35 FPS suggests noticeable stutter during demanding scenes. The data indicates that 4K is not a viable resolution for this combination in Dave The Diver.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 2642nd out of 2867 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 8% of all systems in the database. This ranking reflects the Arc B370's severe performance limitations — the GPU sits in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, with its nearest rivals being legacy ATI parts like the Radeon HD 5770 and Mobility Radeon HD 5570. The CPU, by contrast, ranks in the 83rd percentile, demonstrating a massive capability gap between the two components.

This pairing is unusual in that the CPU is several tiers above the GPU. The 14400F's aggregate benchmark score of 32279 places it in the company of processors like the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U and Core i9-11900, while the Arc B370's 1184 Steel Nomad score is comparable to hardware from over a decade ago. The resulting system is only as strong as its weakest link, and in this case, the GPU is the definitive constraint.

For context, the combo's rank of 2642 out of 2867 means that 92% of tested systems deliver higher frame rates in Dave The Diver. This is not a configuration for high-refresh monitors or 4K displays. Instead, it aligns with the GPU's positioning as an integrated-class part with a 25 W TDP, designed for power efficiency rather than gaming performance.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution. At 1080p, the High preset (73 FPS) offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, as it stays comfortably above 60 FPS while providing better fidelity than Medium (82 FPS) or Low (98 FPS). Ultra at 65 FPS is also viable, but the 8 FPS gain from High to Ultra may not justify the additional visual strain on the GPU.

At 1440p, the Medium preset (62 FPS average, 52 FPS minimum) is the highest quality option that maintains an average above 60 FPS. Low (74 FPS) provides a smoother experience with a 12 FPS advantage, but Medium's visual improvements are likely worth the trade-off for most players. High (55 FPS) and Ultra (49 FPS) are below the 60 FPS threshold and may result in noticeable judder during fast-paced underwater sequences.

At 4K, no preset achieves 60 FPS. The Low preset's 49 FPS is the best available, but this still falls short of smooth gameplay. For players who prioritize frame rate over resolution, dropping to 1440p Medium or 1080p High will provide a far better experience. The data suggests that 4K should be avoided entirely with this combination, as even the highest frame rate (49 FPS at Low) remains below acceptable thresholds for action-oriented gameplay.

The Medium preset consistently offers the most balanced experience across all resolutions, with minimum frame rates that are within 10-14 FPS of the average. At 1080p Medium, the 70 FPS minimum ensures stable performance; at 1440p Medium, the 52 FPS minimum is workable; at 4K Medium, the 35 FPS minimum is borderline. For most users, 1080p High or 1440p Medium will be the sweet spot, depending on monitor resolution and tolerance for visual compromises.