Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver, an adventure title released in mid-2023, presents an interesting case study when paired with the Intel Core i5-14600K and the Intel Arc B370 integrated graphics. The benchmark data shows a configuration that is heavily constrained by its graphics solution, yet the CPU provides enough headroom to ensure consistent, playable frame rates at lower resolutions. This analysis walks through the measured FPS data to understand how resolution scaling, graphics settings, and the underlying hardware components interact to define the gaming experience.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a predictable but steep decline in performance as resolution increases, pointing directly at the Intel Arc B370 as the primary limiting factor. At 1080p with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 73 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, the average drops to 55 FPS, a reduction of approximately 25% from the 1080p figure. At 4K High, the average falls further to 37 FPS, which represents a significant 49% drop from the 1080p High result.

This scaling pattern is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. The Intel Core i5-14600K, with its 14 cores and 20 threads, is more than capable of feeding frames at these rates; the bottleneck is the Arc B370's rendering throughput. The data shows that the gap between resolutions widens as the pixel count increases, which is expected when the GPU's fill rate and shading capacity are exhausted. The jump from 1440p to 4K is particularly punishing, as the pixel count nearly doubles, and the average FPS drops by 18 frames, confirming that the integrated GPU cannot sustain high frame rates at 4K.

The scaling from Low to Ultra settings at each resolution further illustrates this constraint. At 1080p, the spread between Low (98 FPS) and Ultra (65 FPS) is 33 FPS. At 1440p, the spread narrows to 25 FPS (74 FPS Low vs. 49 FPS Ultra). At 4K, the spread is only 16 FPS (49 FPS Low vs. 33 FPS Ultra). This diminishing delta at higher resolutions suggests that the GPU is so saturated with pixel work that changing quality settings has a relatively smaller impact on the final frame rate. The component is already at its limit, so reducing the graphical load yields less proportional benefit.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in Dave The Diver?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 98 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: Yes, but only on lower settings. The data shows 74 FPS on Low and 62 FPS on Medium at 2560x1440. High and Ultra settings at this resolution fall below the 60 FPS threshold, with averages of 55 FPS and 49 FPS respectively.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this configuration?

A: No, not at a comfortable playable level. The highest average FPS at 3840x2160 is 49 FPS on Low settings. Ultra settings drop to an average of 33 FPS, which is below the typical standard for smooth gameplay.

Q: How much of a performance gain is there from High to Low settings at 1080p?

A: The difference is 25 FPS. High settings yield an average of 73 FPS, while Low settings yield 98 FPS, representing a roughly 34% improvement in average frame rate.

Q: What are the minimum FPS values recorded for Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS values are recorded only for Medium settings. At 1080p, the minimum is 70 FPS; at 1440p, it is 52 FPS; and at 4K, it is 35 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370's benchmark score compare to its nearest rivals?

A: In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, the Arc B370 scores 1184. This is 0.2% behind the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1186) and 0.5% behind the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190). It is 0.7% ahead of the AMD Radeon HD 7650M (1192) and 1.4% ahead of the AMD FirePro M2000 (1168).

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process. Its role in Dave The Diver is the primary determinant of frame rates, as the data consistently shows a GPU-bound system. The GPU has 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output pipelines. Its clock speeds range from a base of 300 MHz to a boost of 2400 MHz.

The memory configuration is notable: the Arc B370 uses System Shared memory, meaning it relies on the system's main RAM rather than dedicated VRAM. This architecture can lead to performance variability depending on system memory bandwidth, which is listed as "System Dependent." The lack of dedicated VRAM is a likely contributor to the performance drops seen at higher resolutions, as the GPU must compete with the CPU for memory access and bandwidth.

The GPU's raw compute capabilities are modest. It offers 6.144 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and a pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s. These figures align with its percentile ranking of 5th among all GPUs, placing it in the low-performance tier. In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark, it scores 1184 points. Its nearest rivals in that test include the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and the ATI Radeon HD 5770, with which it trades blows within a margin of 1.4%. This context explains why the measured FPS in Dave The Diver, while playable at 1080p, struggles to maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions. The GPU is simply not designed for heavy rasterization workloads at high pixel counts.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a clear matrix of performance across three resolutions and four quality settings. At 1920x1080, the combo shows its best results. Low settings produce an average of 98 FPS, Medium 82 FPS (with a minimum of 70 FPS and maximum of 94 FPS), High 73 FPS, and Ultra 65 FPS. All settings at this resolution clear the 60 FPS bar, making 1080p the only resolution where the system can consistently hit high refresh rates.

At 2560x1440, the performance tiers become more distinct. Low settings average 74 FPS, Medium averages 62 FPS (min 52, max 71), High averages 55 FPS, and Ultra averages 49 FPS. The Medium preset is the only one that comfortably sits above 60 FPS, while High and Ultra dip below, indicating that 1440p requires a compromise on visual quality to maintain smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the system is clearly overmatched. Low settings average 49 FPS, Medium averages 41 FPS (min 35, max 47), High averages 37 FPS, and Ultra averages 33 FPS. None of these averages reach 50 FPS, and the Ultra setting falls below 30 FPS in this context, rendering 4K gaming impractical for a smooth experience.

The data reveals a consistent pattern: for every resolution, the delta between Low and Ultra settings is significant but not uniform. At 1080p, the spread is 33 FPS; at 1440p, it is 25 FPS; at 4K, it is 16 FPS. This compression of the settings spread at higher resolutions is a classic sign of a GPU that is saturated at the pixel level, where the cost of additional shading and texture work is less impactful than the sheer fill rate required.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a desktop processor from the Core 14th Gen series, based on the Raptor Lake architecture. It features 14 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. This is a high-performance CPU designed for gaming and productivity, and its benchmark scores reflect that. In Cinebench R23, it scores 24491 points in multi-core and 2064 points in single-core. Its average benchmark score is 48618, placing it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs.

In the context of Dave The Diver, the CPU's role is to provide a stable foundation for the GPU. The data suggests that the i5-14600K is not the bottleneck. Even at 1080p Low, where the system achieves 98 FPS, the CPU has ample headroom. The nearest rivals to the i5-14600K, such as the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H (0.2% lower score) and AMD EPYC 4345P (0.3% higher score), show that the CPU's performance is competitive, but the game's frame rates are not limited by this component.

The 24 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support (DDR4 and DDR5) contribute to overall system responsiveness, but the gameplay experience is dictated by the graphics pipeline. The CPU's high single-thread performance, evidenced by a 2064 score in Cinebench R23 single-core, ensures that game logic and draw calls are processed efficiently, but it cannot compensate for the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions. The data indicates that the i5-14600K is more than sufficient for this title, and any performance issues are entirely attributable to the Arc B370.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo depends heavily on the user's target resolution and preference for smoothness versus visual fidelity.

For a 1080p display, the High preset at 73 FPS is the best balance. It provides a robust visual upgrade over Medium and still maintains a frame rate well above 60 FPS. If the user prioritizes maximum smoothness, Low at 98 FPS is an option, but the visual compromise is significant. Ultra at 65 FPS is also playable, but the 8 FPS loss over High is not worth the marginal graphical gain.

For a 1440p display, the Medium preset at 62 FPS is the recommended choice. It is the only preset at this resolution that averages above 60 FPS while offering a better visual experience than Low. High at 55 FPS is acceptable for slower-paced games, but for a consistent experience, Medium is the sweet spot. Low at 74 FPS is suitable for esports-style play, but Dave The Diver is a relaxed adventure title, so prioritizing visuals is more appropriate.

For a 4K display, there is no ideal setting. Low at 49 FPS is the highest average, but it still falls short of 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 41 FPS is playable but not smooth. The data strongly suggests that 4K is not a viable target for this configuration. Users with a 4K monitor should consider running the game at a lower resolution or lowering the in-game resolution scale to achieve a better frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of all tested combos for Dave The Diver, this configuration of the Intel Core i5-14600K and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2642nd out of 2867 combos. This places it in the bottom 8% of all tested systems, which is consistent with the GPU's low performance percentile.

The ranking reflects the severe imbalance of this pairing. The CPU is a high-end component, ranking in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is an integrated solution ranking in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. The combo's overall rank is dragged down almost entirely by the graphics processor. The data shows that while the system can handle 1080p gaming reasonably well, it falls behind the vast majority of dedicated GPU configurations in the benchmark database, particularly at higher resolutions.

This rank suggests that users with this specific combo should set expectations accordingly. It is not a configuration designed for high-fidelity or high-resolution gaming. However, for a game like Dave The Diver, which is not graphically demanding, the combo can deliver a perfectly enjoyable experience at 1080p with adjusted settings, even if its absolute performance ranking is low.