Dave The Diver

# Dave The Diver with Intel Core i5-14600KF + Intel Arc B370

The pairing of a high-end desktop CPU with an integrated-class GPU creates a striking bottleneck dynamic in Dave The Diver. The Intel Core i5-14600KF, a 14-core Raptor Lake part, is paired with the Intel Arc B370, an IGP based on the Xe3-LPG architecture. The data shows a system where the CPU is dramatically overqualified for the graphics workload, yet the measured frame rates remain surprisingly playable at lower resolutions, revealing exactly where the Arc B370's 6.144 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 20 ROPs hit their ceiling.

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

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a 14-core, 20-thread processor with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. It features a 24 MB shared L3 cache and 2 MB L2 cache per core, with an 80 KB L1 cache per core. This is a desktop-class CPU built on Intel's 10 nm process, scoring in the 90th percentile among all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 49,394 places it nearly identically to the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, which scores 49,228 (0.3% faster), and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G at 49,196 (0.4% slower). The CPU's multithreaded prowess is evident in Cinebench R23 multicore score of 32,544, while its single-core performance reaches 4,594 in the same test.

In Dave The Diver, a 2D adventure title, the CPU's role is primarily to feed the GPU with draw calls and manage game logic. At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 98 FPS average, which suggests the CPU is not the limiting factor at this resolution. The CPU's PassMark single-thread score of 4,273 and Geekbench single-core score of 2,445 indicate strong per-core performance, which is crucial for games that rely on a main simulation thread. However, the data reveals that even with this powerful CPU, frame rates at 4K Ultra drop to 33 FPS, clearly demonstrating that the GPU is the bottleneck in this configuration.

The 14 cores include a mix of performance and efficiency cores, though the FACT PACK does not specify the exact distribution. The CPU's 125W TDP and unlocked multiplier suggest it is designed for high sustained performance, but in this game, the measured FPS across all settings and resolutions shows a pattern where the CPU's capabilities are never fully utilized. The PassMark physics score of 2,449 and integer math score of 125,982 indicate robust computational throughput, yet Dave The Diver's art style and gameplay mechanics do not appear to stress these resources heavily.

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

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics processor with a 300 MHz base clock and 2,400 MHz boost clock. It has 1,280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 20 ROPs, with 10 ray tracing cores. The GPU's memory is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the host system's RAM, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent." This is a critical detail for interpreting the benchmark results, as shared memory can introduce latency and bandwidth constraints that dedicated VRAM would not.

The Arc B370's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1,184, placing it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1,186, 0.2% faster), the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1,190, 0.5% faster), and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M (1,192, 0.7% faster). This puts the Arc B370 in performance territory of discrete GPUs from roughly a decade ago, which contextualizes its ability to run Dave The Diver at playable frame rates only at lower resolutions and settings.

With a pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s, the Arc B370 has modest fill-rate capabilities. The GPU's 25W TDP and IGP form factor mean it shares power and thermal resources with the CPU, potentially limiting sustained performance. In the measured FPS data, the GPU's limitations become apparent at 4K Ultra, where the average drops to 33 FPS. Even at 1080p Low, the 98 FPS average suggests the GPU is working near its maximum efficiency, as the CPU could theoretically push much higher frame rates if the GPU could keep up.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The resolution scaling data tells a clear story about the Arc B370 being the primary bottleneck. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 73 at 1080p to 55 at 1440p to 37 at 4K. This represents a 24.7% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 49.3% drop from 1080p to 4K. For Low settings, the progression is 98 FPS at 1080p, 74 FPS at 1440p, and 49 FPS at 4K — a 24.5% drop to 1440p and a 50% drop to 4K.

The linearity of these drops is telling. A GPU-bound scenario typically shows frame-rate scaling that correlates with pixel count: 1080p has 2.07 million pixels, 1440p has 3.69 million (1.78x), and 4K has 8.29 million (4x). The observed drops are far less severe than the pixel count increases would suggest, indicating that the game's rendering load does not scale linearly with resolution, or that other system-level factors (such as shared memory bandwidth) are mitigating the impact.

The Medium settings row provides the only min/max FPS data: at 1080p, the range is 70-94 FPS; at 1440p, it's 52-71 FPS; at 4K, it's 35-47 FPS. The consistency of these ranges — roughly a 1.35x spread between min and max at each resolution — suggests stable frame pacing without severe stutters. The fact that 4K Medium (41 FPS average) is playable while 4K Ultra (33 FPS) dips below 30 FPS territory indicates that the GPU's 20 ROPs and shared memory architecture are the limiting factors at higher resolutions.

FAQ

Q: Why does the system achieve 98 FPS at 1080p Low but only 33 FPS at 4K Ultra?

A: The Arc B370's 6.144 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 20 ROPs are insufficient for the pixel throughput required at 4K with Ultra settings. The data shows a 66.3% average FPS reduction from 1080p Low to 4K Ultra, consistent with a GPU-bound scenario where the integrated graphics share system memory.

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

A: The Arc B370's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1,184 is 0.2% slower than the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1,186), 0.5% slower than the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1,190), and 0.7% slower than the AMD Radeon HD 7650M (1,192). It is 1.4% faster than the AMD FirePro M2000 (1,168).

Q: Is the Core i5-14600KF strong enough for this game?

A: Yes. The CPU's 90th percentile ranking and Cinebench R23 multicore score of 32,544 are far beyond what Dave The Diver requires. The benchmark results show that the CPU is not the limiting factor at any resolution, as FPS drops correlate with GPU workload increases.

Q: What do the min and max FPS figures tell us about frame consistency?

A: The only available min/max data comes from Medium settings. At 1080p, the range is 70-94 FPS (average 82); at 1440p, it's 52-71 FPS (average 62); at 4K, it's 35-47 FPS (average 41). The consistent upward spread of roughly 12-15% above average indicates stable performance without major frame-time spikes.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: The combination ranks 2,642 out of 2,867 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 7.8% of all configurations. This low ranking is primarily due to the Arc B370's 5th percentile GPU performance, despite the CPU's 90th percentile standing.

Q: Does the shared memory architecture affect the 4K results?

A: The Arc B370 uses "System Shared" memory with "System Dependent" bandwidth. At 4K, the system must move substantially more data per frame, and the 4K results (33-49 FPS depending on settings) suggest this shared architecture becomes a bottleneck alongside the GPU's raw compute limits.

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

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce 98 FPS average, Medium settings yield 82 FPS (with min/max of 70/94), High settings achieve 73 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 65 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra represents a 33.7% reduction in average FPS, indicating that even at 1080p, the Arc B370 is sensitive to settings changes.

At 2560x1440, the performance tiers compress slightly. Low settings average 74 FPS, Medium averages 62 FPS (min/max 52/71), High averages 55 FPS, and Ultra averages 49 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is now 33.8%, nearly identical to the 1080p spread. The absolute numbers suggest that 1440p is still playable for this game, but the headroom is shrinking.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates. Low settings average 49 FPS, Medium averages 41 FPS (min/max 35/47), High averages 37 FPS, and Ultra averages 33 FPS. The Low-to-Ultra gap at 4K is 32.7%, slightly tighter than lower resolutions, suggesting that the GPU is hitting a hard performance ceiling regardless of settings. The 4K Low result of 49 FPS is the only 4K setting that approaches a 60 FPS target, and it falls short.

The Medium settings row is the only one with complete min/max data at all resolutions. The 1080p range of 70-94 FPS (average 82) shows a 24 FPS spread; the 1440p range of 52-71 FPS (average 62) shows a 19 FPS spread; the 4K range of 35-47 FPS (average 41) shows a 12 FPS spread. This narrowing spread at higher resolutions indicates that pixel fill-rate limits are compressing frame times into a tighter band.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The data points to Medium settings at 1080p as the optimal balance for this configuration. At 82 FPS average with a 70 FPS minimum, this setting provides a smooth experience well above the 60 FPS threshold while maintaining visual quality above Low. The 1080p Medium result is 83.7% faster than 4K Medium, making it the clear choice for responsive gameplay.

For players prioritizing visual fidelity over frame rate, 1440p High at 55 FPS average offers a reasonable middle ground. This is 25% slower than 1080p High (73 FPS) but provides higher resolution detail. The 1440p Medium setting at 62 FPS is also viable, sitting just above the 60 FPS target with a 52 FPS minimum.

The least recommended setting is 4K Ultra at 33 FPS average, which falls below the 35 FPS minimum seen at 4K Medium. This suggests the Ultra preset pushes the Arc B370 beyond its comfortable operating range. Even 4K Low at 49 FPS average is marginally below the 60 FPS threshold, making 4K a questionable choice for this GPU.

The data implies that the Arc B370's 25W TDP and integrated design are best suited for 1080p gaming in Dave The Diver. The 98 FPS result at 1080p Low shows the GPU's ceiling, while the 1080p Medium result of 82 FPS demonstrates that the GPU can handle moderate settings without significant compromise. The 1440p results are playable but require accepting frame rates in the 49-74 FPS range depending on settings.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This configuration ranks 2,642nd out of 2,867 tested combos for Dave The Diver, placing it in the bottom 7.8% of all systems tested. This low rank is directly attributable to the Arc B370's GPU performance, which sits in the 5th percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 1,184.

The CPU-GPU imbalance is stark. The Core i5-14600KF ranks in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 49,394 that rivals the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (49,228, 0.3% slower) and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 (48,995, 0.8% slower). Yet this high-end CPU is paired with a GPU that competes with decade-old discrete graphics. The result is a system where the CPU's potential is largely wasted in this game.

The rank of 2,642 out of 2,867 means that 225 combos (7.8%) perform worse than this system. This suggests that despite the Arc B370's age-class performance, it still outperforms a subset of integrated graphics and older discrete GPUs. The 4K Medium result of 41 FPS and 1440p results above 49 FPS indicate that Dave The Diver's 2D art style is relatively forgiving on GPU hardware, allowing this low-ranked combo to remain playable at lower resolutions.

The data shows that the Arc B370's nearest rivals — the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, ATI Radeon HD 5770, and AMD Radeon HD 7650M — all score within 0.7% of the Arc B370 in 3DMark Steel Nomad. In a game like Dave The Diver, which does not demand high polygon counts or complex shaders, this level of GPU performance is sufficient for 1080p and acceptable for 1440p, but it falls short at 4K. The combo's rank reflects this reality, placing it near the bottom of tested systems while still delivering a playable experience at 1080p.