Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver is not a typical GPU stress test, but the data for this Intel Core i5-14400F + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 combination reveals a system that is dramatically overqualified for the task, delivering frame rates that are almost absurdly high across all tested configurations. The benchmark results show a pairing that never breaks a sweat, with the RTX 5080 clearly dominating the workload even at 4K, leaving the i5-14400F far from being a bottleneck.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand database of tested hardware combinations for Dave The Diver, this specific pairing sits at rank 199 out of 3710 combos. That places it in the top 5.4% of all systems tested, which is a strong showing, but the raw frame rates suggest it could be even higher. The ranking is likely suppressed by the game's low system requirements; many other combos with less powerful components also achieve very high frame rates, making the field densely packed at the top.

The CPU itself holds an 83rd percentile ranking against all tested CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 32279. Its nearest rivals in synthetic tests are a tight cluster: the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U is 0.1% faster, the Intel Core i9-11900 is 0.2% faster, and the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS is 0.2% slower. The Intel Core i7-12800H sits 0.5% behind. This indicates the i5-14400F's compute performance is firmly in the mid-to-high range, but it is not a standout performer in synthetic workloads.

On the GPU side, the RTX 5080 holds an 87th percentile ranking. Its average benchmark score is 56083, with rivals like the AMD Radeon 8060S (0.6% slower) and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE (2.2% faster) showing that it is competitively positioned. The data suggests that in this game, the GPU is the clear limiting factor, but only because the CPU is so far ahead of the game's demands that it essentially steps aside. The combo's rank of 199, while excellent, is a reflection of the game's low ceiling for performance rather than any weakness in this hardware.

Settings Recommendations

For a game like this, the goal is to maximize visual fidelity while maintaining a flawless frame rate. The measured data shows that the highest settings are entirely playable, but the "Ultra" preset does incur a notable performance cost. At 4K, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 141 FPS, while dropping to High raises that to 159 FPS. At 1440p, the gap is even larger: 210 FPS on Ultra versus 238 FPS on High. At 1080p, the difference is 279 FPS versus 316 FPS.

Given that the game is an adventure title where visual polish matters, the data suggests that the High preset is the sweet spot. It offers a significant frame rate uplift over Ultra—ranging from an 11% increase at 4K to a 13% increase at 1080p—while the visual difference between High and Ultra in such a stylized game is likely negligible. The Medium preset offers even more headroom, but the jump from High to Medium is less necessary when you are already well above 140 FPS at 4K. The Low preset is effectively pointless here, as it pushes frame rates to 213 FPS at 4K and 391 FPS at 1080p, which are unplayable in the sense that they are beyond the refresh rate of almost any monitor and offer no practical benefit.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a system that is heavily GPU-bound. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 316 at 1080p to 238 at 1440p, a 25% reduction, and then to 159 at 4K, a further 33% reduction from 1440p. This pattern is consistent across all settings. At Ultra, the drop is from 279 at 1080p to 210 at 1440p (a 25% decrease), and then to 141 at 4K (a 33% decrease from 1440p). This consistent scaling behavior is the hallmark of a GPU-limited scenario.

If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see the frame rates plateau or at least scale less aggressively when lowering resolution. Instead, the frame rates continue to climb steadily as resolution drops, indicating that the RTX 5080 is doing all the heavy lifting and the i5-14400F has ample headroom. The data shows that even at 1080p with Low settings, the system hits 391 FPS, which is a strong indicator that the CPU is not holding the GPU back in any way. The limiting component is unequivocally the GPU, and even then, it is only limited by the sheer pixel count at 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across all settings and resolutions. At 3840x2160, the average frame rates are: Low at 213 FPS, Medium at 179 FPS (with a minimum of 152 and maximum of 205), High at 159 FPS, and Ultra at 141 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 72 FPS, showing that the game's settings have a moderate impact on the GPU load at 4K.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages jump significantly: Low at 318 FPS, Medium at 266 FPS (min 227, max 306), High at 238 FPS, and Ultra at 210 FPS. The frame rate overhead at 1440p is substantial, with even the Ultra preset clearing 200 FPS. At 1920x1080, the numbers approach the practical limits of display technology: Low at 391 FPS, Medium at 354 FPS (min 301, max 407), High at 316 FPS, and Ultra at 279 FPS.

The minimum FPS data points, available only for the Medium preset, show a healthy consistency. At 4K Medium, the minimum is 152 FPS, which is still exceptionally smooth. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 227 FPS, and at 1080p Medium, it is 301 FPS. The fact that even the minimum frame rates are so high indicates that there are no sudden stutters or frame time spikes, making for a consistently fluid experience. The maximum FPS values also show headroom, with the 1080p Medium hitting 407 FPS, suggesting the engine has a high performance ceiling.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is the undisputed star of this benchmark. Its specifications are impressive: 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 960.0 GB/s. The GPU runs at a base clock of 2295 MHz and boosts to 2617 MHz. This memory configuration is overkill for a game like Dave The Diver, but it ensures that the GPU is never starved for data.

The GPU's performance in this game is so high that it suggests the game is not utilizing even a fraction of its compute potential. The 10752 shading units and 112 ROPs are far more than needed for this title's visual complexity. The benchmark results show that the GPU is the primary driver of frame rates, as evidenced by the resolution scaling analysis. The data indicates that the RTX 5080 is capable of rendering this game at 4K Ultra at 141 FPS, which confirms its raw power, but also highlights how light the game's workload is.

The 16 GB of VRAM is a non-factor in this test, as the game likely uses a small fraction of it, even at 4K. The GPU's high memory bandwidth is also not a limiting factor, given the frame rates achieved. In essence, the RTX 5080 is operating well within its comfort zone, delivering high performance without being pushed to its limits. This makes the GPU the clear bottleneck, but only in the sense that it is the component that must render the frames; the CPU is simply waiting for it.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14400F a bottleneck for the RTX 5080 in this game?

A: No. The benchmark data shows that frame rates scale consistently with resolution, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation. At 1080p Low, the system hits 391 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it still manages 141 FPS. The CPU's performance is not the limiting factor here.

Q: What is the best settings preset to use for a smooth experience?

A: The High preset offers the best balance. At 4K, it delivers 159 FPS compared to 141 FPS on Ultra, a performance increase of over 12%, with likely minimal visual difference. At 1440p, High gives 238 FPS versus 210 FPS on Ultra.

Q: How does the performance drop from 1080p to 4K?

A: At High settings, the average FPS drops from 316 at 1080p to 238 at 1440p, and then to 159 at 4K. This represents a 25% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and an additional 33% drop from 1440p to 4K, indicating the GPU is the primary workload handler.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming?

A: Yes, it is more than capable. At 4K Ultra settings, it achieves an average of 141 FPS, and at 4K High, it hits 159 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay and is even suitable for high-refresh-rate 4K monitors.

Q: Is the RTX 5080's 16 GB of VRAM necessary for this game?

A: The data does not indicate VRAM usage, but given the game's performance, it is highly unlikely that 16 GB is fully utilized. The GPU's high memory bandwidth of 960.0 GB/s is also more than sufficient for the game's demands.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other systems tested?

A: This combo ranks 199th out of 3710 tested combos for Dave The Diver, putting it in the top 5.4%. The high rank is tempered by the game's low requirements, which allows many less powerful systems to also achieve high frame rates.