Dave The Diver

# Dave The Diver — Intel Core i5-14600K + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080

The Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination delivers exceptional performance in Dave The Diver, a game that clearly favors high-refresh-rate play. The CPU's 14 cores and 20 threads, running at a 3.50 GHz base and 5.30 GHz boost clock, provide ample processing headroom. The RTX 4080, with its 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and 716.8 GB/s bandwidth, ensures the GPU is rarely a limiting factor. Benchmark results show this pairing ranks 215th out of 3,710 tested combinations, placing it in the top percentile of all configurations. The data indicates this is a premium-tier setup capable of delivering extremely high frame rates across all resolutions tested, from 1080p to 4K.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core, 20-thread processor built on Intel's Raptor Lake architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake Refresh generation. It operates at a 3.50 GHz base clock and boosts up to 5.30 GHz, with a 125 W TDP. The processor supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, and its 24 MB of shared L3 cache helps with game asset streaming. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24,491 and a single-core score of 2,064, alongside a Geekbench multi-core score of 16,673 and single-core score of 2,491.

In Dave The Diver, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic updates. The game is an adventure title that does not appear to be heavily threaded, but the i5-14600K's strong single-core performance, as evidenced by its 4,270 Passmark single-thread score, ensures that even the most demanding frame-time scenarios are handled smoothly. The processor's multi-threaded capabilities, reflected in its 38,682 Passmark multi-thread score, provide headroom for background tasks and any auxiliary game systems. The CPU sits in the 90th percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48,618.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the i5-14600K is positioned in a tight performance cluster. The Intel Xeon Gold 5318H scores 48,698 (0.2% higher), while the AMD EPYC 4345P scores 48,470 (0.3% lower). The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX scores 48,287 (0.7% lower), and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 scores 48,995 (0.8% higher). These sub-1% deltas indicate that the i5-14600K is extremely competitive with other high-end processors in general compute workloads. For Dave The Diver specifically, the CPU's high boost clock of 5.30 GHz is likely the key factor, as the game appears to be more sensitive to single-threaded performance than raw core counts. The 24 MB of L3 cache also helps reduce memory latency during gameplay, contributing to the consistently high frame rates observed in the measured data.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with the AD103 chip, fabricated on TSMC's 5 nm process. It features 9,728 shading units, 304 texture mapping units, and 112 raster operation processors, along with 76 ray tracing cores and 304 tensor cores. The GPU operates at a 2,205 MHz base clock and boosts to 2,505 MHz. Memory is provided by 16 GB of GDDR6X on a 256-bit bus, delivering 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth. The card's FP32 performance is rated at 48.74 TFLOPS, with a pixel rate of 280.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 761.5 GTexel/s.

In Dave The Diver, the RTX 4080's 16 GB VRAM buffer is more than sufficient for any texture or asset demands the game can throw at it, even at 4K resolution. The high memory bandwidth ensures that texture streaming and asset loading never cause hitches. The GPU's compute capabilities, reflected in its Passmark G3D score of 34,457 and Geekbench OpenCL score of 214,739, provide plenty of raw power for the game's rendering pipeline. The RTX 4080 sits in the 86th percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 54,247.

The GPU's nearest rivals show a tightly grouped field. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER scores 54,209 (0.1% higher), while the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54,828 (1.1% higher). The AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55,698 (2.6% higher), and the AMD Radeon 8060S scores 55,757 (2.7% higher). These small deltas suggest that the RTX 4080 is positioned very close to its direct successor and even some AMD alternatives in synthetic benchmarks. However, in actual game performance, the RTX 4080's 2,505 MHz boost clock and 716.8 GB/s bandwidth prove decisive, as the measured FPS data shows this card delivering extremely high frame rates in Dave The Diver across all settings and resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 ranks 215th out of 3,710 tested combinations in Dave The Diver. This places the combo in the top 5.8% of all tested systems, indicating that it outperforms the vast majority of configurations. The rank reflects the synergy between the CPU and GPU, where neither component bottlenecks the other in this particular game. The i5-14600K's strong single-thread performance complements the RTX 4080's massive rendering throughput, resulting in a balanced system that scales well with resolution and settings changes.

The measured FPS data confirms this high ranking. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 408 FPS average, which drops to 269 FPS at Ultra settings. At 2560x1440, the range goes from 307 FPS on Low to 203 FPS on Ultra. Even at 3840x2160, the system maintains 206 FPS on Low and 136 FPS on Ultra. These numbers indicate that the combo is never GPU-bound at 1080p or 1440p, and even at 4K, it maintains frame rates well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The rank of 215 suggests that some combinations with higher-end CPUs or GPUs (such as an RTX 4090 or a flagship Intel/AMD processor) achieve slightly better performance, but the i5-14600K + RTX 4080 pairing offers a remarkably consistent experience across all tested configurations.

The percentile rankings of the individual components support this analysis. The CPU's 90th percentile ranking and the GPU's 86th percentile ranking mean that both components are well above average, but the combined result of 215th out of 3,710 suggests that the pairing is greater than the sum of its parts in this game. The data shows that the combo outperforms many systems with higher individual component rankings, likely due to the efficient communication between the CPU's 24 MB L3 cache and the GPU's 16 GB VRAM, which minimizes data transfer bottlenecks.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the Intel Core i5-14600K and RTX 4080 deliver outstanding performance. Low settings produce an average of 408 FPS, making this the highest frame rate recorded across all tests. Medium settings yield 342 FPS average, with a minimum of 290 FPS and maximum of 393 FPS. High settings produce 305 FPS average, while Ultra settings drop to 269 FPS average. The scaling from Low to Ultra represents a 34% reduction in frame rate, but even at Ultra, the system maintains well over 200 FPS, indicating that the CPU is the primary limiter at this resolution rather than the GPU.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains exceptional. Low settings produce 307 FPS average, Medium settings yield 257 FPS average (with a minimum of 219 FPS and maximum of 296 FPS), High settings deliver 230 FPS average, and Ultra settings maintain 203 FPS average. The difference between 1080p and 1440p is noticeable but modest, with the Ultra setting at 1440p (203 FPS) still exceeding the 1080p Ultra performance of many lower-tier systems. The minimum FPS of 219 at Medium settings indicates that even in the most demanding scenes, the system never drops below a very playable threshold.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 4080's power becomes more evident. Low settings produce 206 FPS average, Medium settings yield 172 FPS average (with a minimum of 146 FPS and maximum of 198 FPS), High settings deliver 154 FPS average, and Ultra settings maintain 136 FPS average. This represents the first resolution where the GPU begins to show its workload, but even at 4K Ultra, the system maintains a 136 FPS average, which is well above the 120 Hz refresh rate common on high-end monitors. The scaling from 1440p to 4K shows a 33% reduction in frame rate at Ultra settings (203 to 136 FPS), which is expected given the fourfold increase in pixel count.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that all three tested resolutions deliver excellent performance. At 1920x1080, the system reaches 408 FPS on Low settings and 269 FPS on Ultra. At 2560x1440, it maintains 307 FPS on Low and 203 FPS on Ultra. Even at 3840x2160, the system produces 206 FPS on Low and 136 FPS on Ultra, making any resolution viable depending on your monitor's capabilities.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 4080's average benchmark score of 54,247 is nearly identical to the RTX 4080 SUPER at 54,209 (0.1% difference). The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54,828 (1.1% higher), the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55,698 (2.6% higher), and the AMD Radeon 8060S scores 55,757 (2.7% higher), showing the RTX 4080 is competitive in this group.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14600K a bottleneck for the RTX 4080?

A: No, the data indicates the CPU and GPU are well balanced. The CPU's 90th percentile ranking and the GPU's 86th percentile ranking, combined with the combo's 215th rank out of 3,710, suggest neither component significantly limits the other in Dave The Diver. The CPU's 5.30 GHz boost clock and strong single-thread performance keep pace with the GPU's output.

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

A: At 2560x1440 with Ultra settings, the system achieves an average of 203 FPS. This is the lowest result at 1440p but still provides a very smooth experience. For comparison, Medium settings at 1440p produce 257 FPS average, with a minimum of 219 FPS, which is the most consistent result recorded at this resolution.

Q: How does the CPU's performance in Dave The Diver compare to its synthetic benchmarks?

A: The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24,491 and single-core score of 2,064 indicate strong all-around performance. In the game, this translates to the ability to maintain high frame rates even at 1080p, where the CPU is more likely to be the limiting factor. The 408 FPS result at 1080p Low shows the CPU can handle extremely high frame rates without becoming a bottleneck.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this combo?

A: Yes, the data confirms that 4K gaming is very viable. At 3840x2160, the system achieves 136 FPS on Ultra settings, which is well above the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay. Even at High settings, it produces 154 FPS average, and at Medium settings, it maintains 172 FPS with a minimum of 146 FPS, ensuring consistent performance in demanding scenes.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the Medium settings preset appears to offer the best balance between visual quality and performance across all resolutions. At 1920x1080, Medium settings produce 342 FPS average with a minimum of 290 FPS, which is only 16% lower than Low settings' 408 FPS but provides significantly better visual fidelity. At 2560x1440, Medium settings deliver 257 FPS average with a minimum of 219 FPS, representing a 16% reduction from Low settings' 307 FPS while still maintaining very high frame rates. At 3840x2160, Medium settings yield 172 FPS average with a minimum of 146 FPS, which is 16% lower than Low settings' 206 FPS but still well above the 144 Hz refresh rate found on many gaming monitors.

For players with high-refresh-rate displays (144 Hz or higher), the High settings preset at 1440p (230 FPS average) or 4K (154 FPS average) is also an excellent choice, as it provides better visual quality than Medium while still exceeding the refresh rate of most monitors. The Ultra preset, while producing the lowest frame rates (269 FPS at 1080p, 203 FPS at 1440p, and 136 FPS at 4K), still delivers playable performance at all resolutions, making it suitable for those prioritizing image quality over frame rate. However, the data suggests that the jump from Medium to High or Ultra provides diminishing returns in visual quality compared to the frame rate cost. The minimum FPS data, available only for Medium settings, shows 290 FPS at 1080p, 219 FPS at 1440p, and 146 FPS at 4K, indicating that Medium settings offer the most consistent frame pacing, which is crucial for a smooth gaming experience in an adventure title like Dave The Diver.