Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver presents an interesting scaling profile for the Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 combination. The data shows this system is exceptionally well-suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, with the CPU proving sufficient to feed the GPU even at lower resolutions. At 4K, the RTX 5050 becomes the primary constraint, but the frame rates remain comfortably playable. The benchmark results indicate a balanced pairing where the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions, while the CPU's strong single-thread performance ensures no bottleneck at lower settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases. At 1080p with High settings, the system achieves an average of 154 FPS. Moving to 1440p High reduces performance to 116 FPS, a drop of 38 FPS or approximately 24.7%. The transition to 4K High yields 77 FPS, which is another 39 FPS decrease from 1440p, or about 33.6%. This consistent drop of roughly 35-40 FPS for each resolution step indicates that the GPU is the dominant factor in performance scaling.

The Low settings preset provides the clearest view of the CPU's capability. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 206 FPS, which is exceptionally high and suggests the CPU can handle the game's logic and draw calls without limiting the frame rate. At 1440p Low, the score drops to 155 FPS, and at 4K Low, it falls to 104 FPS. The fact that 4K Low (104 FPS) is nearly identical to 1440p High (116 FPS) demonstrates that the GPU workload, not the CPU, is the determining factor in these scenarios.

The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings shows a similar pattern: 136 FPS at 1080p, 102 FPS at 1440p, and 68 FPS at 4K. This represents a 50% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K, which is exactly what would be expected from a GPU-bound scenario where the pixel count quadruples but the frame rate halves. The data strongly suggests that the RTX 5050 is the limiting component at 4K, while the i5-14600KF provides ample headroom at lower resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combination achieves in Dave The Diver?

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 206, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This indicates the system has substantial performance headroom at the lowest graphical preset.

Q: How does the system perform at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 68. This is a playable frame rate for most users, though it shows the GPU is being heavily taxed at this resolution and preset combination.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the bottleneck at higher resolutions. At 4K Low, the system achieves 104 FPS, which is close to the 1080p High result of 154 FPS, showing that the CPU can deliver high frame rates but the GPU cannot maintain them as resolution increases.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings produce 155 FPS while Ultra settings produce 102 FPS. This is a difference of 53 FPS, or approximately 34.2% faster performance on Low compared to Ultra.

Q: Does the system maintain 60 FPS at all tested configurations?

A: Yes, every measured configuration exceeds 60 FPS average. The lowest recorded average is 68 FPS at 4K Ultra, which is still above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the RTX 5050's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 5050 has an average benchmark score of 21035, which places it 1.6% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT (score 20713) and 1% behind the AMD Radeon HD 8970M (score 21237). It sits at the 66th percentile of all GPUs.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a 14-core, 20-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its cache configuration includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration and connects via PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes.

In Dave The Diver, the CPU's role is to maintain high frame rates without becoming the limiting factor. The benchmark results show this is achieved. At 1080p Low, the system produces 206 FPS, which is a strong indicator that the CPU can handle the game's simulation and rendering commands faster than the GPU can execute them. The CPU's single-thread performance, as measured by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4594, is particularly relevant for this game, which likely relies on a primary game thread for logic and physics.

The CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are also substantial, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32544 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 17085. However, the data suggests that Dave The Diver does not heavily utilize the CPU's full multi-threading potential, as evidenced by the fact that lowering resolution from 1440p to 1080p at High settings only improves FPS from 116 to 154, rather than showing a more significant jump if the CPU were the bottleneck.

The i5-14600KF holds the 90th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 49394. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, scores 49228, a difference of only 0.3%, indicating that the i5-14600KF is positioned at the top tier of CPU performance. This headroom ensures that in Dave The Diver, the CPU will not hold back the RTX 5050, even at the highest frame rates measured.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system demonstrates exceptional performance across all settings. Low settings yield an average of 206 FPS, Medium produces 172 FPS (with a minimum of 146 and maximum of 198), High delivers 154 FPS, and Ultra achieves 136 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra represents a 34% reduction in frame rate, which is a moderate penalty for the increased visual fidelity.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but show a clear step down. Low settings produce 155 FPS, Medium averages 129 FPS (with a minimum of 110 and maximum of 149), High delivers 116 FPS, and Ultra achieves 102 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 53 FPS, or 34.2%, which is nearly identical to the percentage difference seen at 1080p, confirming that the GPU's workload scales consistently with resolution.

At 3840x2160, the system still remains playable but the GPU is clearly under stress. Low settings produce 104 FPS, Medium averages 87 FPS (with a minimum of 74 and maximum of 100), High delivers 77 FPS, and Ultra achieves 68 FPS. The jump from 1440p to 4K at High settings represents a 33.6% reduction in performance, which is similar to the resolution scaling observed between 1080p and 1440p.

The minimum FPS data points, available for Medium settings at each resolution, provide additional insight into frame time consistency. At 1080p Medium, the minimum of 146 FPS is 85% of the average, while at 1440p Medium, the minimum of 110 FPS is also 85% of the average. At 4K Medium, the minimum of 74 FPS is 85% of the average. This consistent ratio suggests that the game maintains stable frame pacing without significant stutters, regardless of resolution.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture using a 5 nm process at TSMC, with a die size of 149 mm² and 16,900 million transistors. It features 2560 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, along with 20 RT cores and 80 tensor cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2317 MHz and a boost clock of 2572 MHz, with memory clocked at 2500 MHz for 20 Gbps effective speed.

The memory subsystem consists of 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s. The GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, and connects via PCIe 5.0 x8. With a TDP of 130 W and a suggested PSU of 300 W, the RTX 5050 is a power-efficient card that fits into a dual-slot form factor with a single 8-pin power connector.

In Dave The Diver, the RTX 5050's role is to deliver high frame rates while managing the game's graphical effects. The data shows that the GPU is the primary determinant of performance at higher resolutions. At 4K, the average FPS ranges from 68 at Ultra to 104 at Low, with the GPU's compute capabilities being the limiting factor. The GPU's FP32 performance of 13.17 TFLOPS and texture rate of 205.8 GTexel/s are sufficient for this game's visual complexity, as even the most demanding 4K Ultra preset maintains an average above 60 FPS.

The RTX 5050's benchmark results place it at the 66th percentile of all GPUs, with an average score of 21035. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL, scores 21153, which is 0.6% higher, while the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT scores 20713, which is 1.6% lower. This positioning indicates that the RTX 5050 is a mid-range performer, capable of handling modern games at high settings but not designed for extreme 4K workloads. In Dave The Diver, this translates to excellent 1080p and 1440p performance, with 4K being playable but not at maximum refresh rates.

Settings Recommendations

For users prioritizing maximum frame rates, the Low preset at 1920x1080 delivers 206 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate displays. This configuration provides the smoothest experience and is recommended for competitive play or for users with monitors that support 144Hz or higher refresh rates. The jump from Low to Medium at 1080p costs 34 FPS (from 206 to 172), which is a 16.5% reduction, but Medium still maintains a minimum FPS of 146, ensuring no noticeable stutters.

At 1440p, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, with an average of 129 FPS and a minimum of 110 FPS. This configuration provides a high-quality image while keeping frame rates well above the 60 FPS threshold, making it suitable for most users with 1440p monitors. The High preset at 1440p drops to 116 FPS, which is still excellent, but the Medium preset's minimum FPS of 110 is more reassuring for consistent gameplay.

For 4K gaming, the Low preset at 104 FPS is the recommended choice for users who want to maximize frame rates. The Medium preset at 87 FPS is also viable and provides better visual fidelity, with a minimum FPS of 74 ensuring smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset at 68 FPS is playable but leaves little headroom for demanding scenes, so users should consider dropping to Medium or High if they experience any frame rate dips.

Overall, the data suggests that the optimal experience depends on the user's display resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p displays, High or Ultra settings provide an excellent balance, with 154 FPS and 136 FPS respectively. For 1440p, Medium is the sweet spot at 129 FPS, while 4K users should choose between Low (104 FPS) for performance or Medium (87 FPS) for better visuals. The system consistently delivers over 60 FPS at all settings, ensuring a smooth experience regardless of configuration.