Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver, a 2023 adventure title, proves highly playable on this combination of an Intel Core i5-9400 and an Intel Arc B370, but the experience is heavily dependent on resolution and preset choices. The benchmark data indicates a system that is fundamentally capable at 1080p and 1440p, yet struggles to maintain smooth frame rates at 4K. The combo ranks in the 2642nd position out of 2867 tested configurations, placing it in the lower percentile of performance, though the game’s art style and pacing make lower frame rates more tolerable than in fast-paced shooters. This pairing represents a modestly performing setup, where the integrated GPU’s shared memory architecture is the primary constraint.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1920x1080 with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1080p High is 73 frames per second, which is a solidly playable result for this adventure title. This indicates the combo can handle the game smoothly at the most common gaming resolution without needing to drop to lower presets.

Q: How does the system perform at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, performance drops significantly. The average FPS ranges from 33 on Ultra settings to 49 on Low settings. Even at the lowest settings, the frame rate is below the 60 FPS target, suggesting that 4K is not a viable option for a consistently smooth experience on this hardware.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 2560x1440?

A: The data shows that Low settings at 1440p yield an average of 74 FPS, while Medium provides 62 FPS and High provides 55 FPS. For a balance of visual fidelity and performance, Medium is the best choice, as it remains above the 60 FPS threshold with only a minor frame rate dip from Low.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-9400 a bottleneck for the Intel Arc B370 in this game?

A: The CPU has a 47th percentile ranking among all processors, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6629. While it is not a high-end chip, the game’s performance scaling across resolutions suggests that the GPU’s shared memory and compute capability are the limiting factors, especially at 4K where the frame rate drops to the low 30s.

Q: How much faster is the Low preset compared to Ultra at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 98 FPS, which is 33 FPS higher than the Ultra preset’s 65 FPS. This represents a significant 50% performance uplift, making Low the clear choice for maximizing smoothness on displays with high refresh rates.

Q: What is the combo's overall ranking compared to other tested systems?

A: The combination ranks 2642nd out of 2867 tested combos for Dave The Diver. This places it in the bottom 8% of all configurations, indicating that while it can run the game, most other tested systems will deliver higher frame rates.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated GPU based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process. Its performance is fundamentally shaped by its memory configuration, which is "System Shared". This means the GPU does not have dedicated VRAM and instead relies on the system's main memory, with bandwidth that is "System Dependent". The absence of dedicated VRAM is a critical factor in the performance drops observed at higher resolutions, as the GPU contends with the CPU for memory bandwidth.

The GPU’s clock speeds are set at a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2400 MHz. These clocks, combined with 1280 shading units, deliver a peak FP32 performance of 6.144 TFLOPS. The pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s. In Dave The Diver, this translates to a performance envelope that is adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming. The measured FPS data shows a clear trend: at 1080p, the system can push past 60 FPS on all presets, but at 4K, the demands on the shared memory system become too great, and frame rates fall into the low 30s and 40s.

The GPU’s benchmark score in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 is 1184, which places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are older discrete cards like the ATI Radeon HD 5770 and AMD Radeon HD 7650M, which have similar average scores. This data reinforces the notion that while the Arc B370 is modern, its performance class is that of an entry-level solution, making it more suited to the lower resolutions where its shared memory bandwidth is less of a bottleneck.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and Intel Arc B370 achieves a rank of 2642 out of 2867 tested combos for Dave The Diver. This places the system in the 8th percentile, meaning over 90% of other tested configurations deliver higher average frame rates. This low ranking is primarily attributable to the GPU’s limited performance, as evidenced by its 5th percentile standing among all GPUs.

The CPU, in contrast, is a more mid-range performer, sitting in the 47th percentile. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6629 is competitive with rivals like the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 and AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500, which have average scores of 2259 and 2246, respectively (based on the average benchmark score metric). The delta between the i5-9400 and its nearest rivals is minimal, ranging from -0.4% to +0.4%. This suggests the CPU is not the primary cause of the low combo rank.

Instead, the data points to the GPU as the limiting factor. The Arc B370’s nearest rivals are all older, low-performance cards, and its 3DMark score is a fraction of what modern mid-range GPUs achieve. In the context of this benchmark database, this combo is at the tail end of the performance spectrum. While it can run the game, its ranking accurately reflects that users should expect a lower fidelity experience, particularly when compared to the vast majority of other systems tested.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed view of the system’s capabilities. At 1920x1080, the system performs admirably across all presets. The Low preset delivers the highest average at 98 FPS, ensuring a very smooth experience. Medium settings produce an average of 82 FPS, with a minimum of 70 and a maximum of 94 FPS, indicating stable frame times. High settings average 73 FPS, still comfortably above the 60 FPS target. Ultra settings are the most demanding, with an average of 65 FPS, which is still playable but begins to show the system’s limits.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains respectable but starts to decline. The Low preset averages 74 FPS, retaining a high level of smoothness. Medium settings average 62 FPS, with a minimum of 52 and a maximum of 71 FPS, which is just at the edge of the 60 FPS threshold. High settings drop to an average of 55 FPS, which is a noticeable step down. Ultra settings average 49 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced scenes.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles. The Low preset averages 49 FPS, which feels less fluid. Medium settings average 41 FPS, with a minimum of 35 and a maximum of 47 FPS. High settings average 37 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to just 33 FPS. These numbers indicate that 4K gaming on this combo is only suitable for very casual play, as the frame rate frequently dips below the 40 FPS mark where motion becomes noticeably less smooth.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a six-core, six-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. The CPU’s cache configuration includes 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 9 MB of shared L3 cache. This processor is a 65W part designed for the Intel Socket 1151 platform and supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a peak bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s.

In the context of Dave The Diver, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. The benchmark scores show it is a competent mid-range processor, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6629 and a single-core score of 935. Its average benchmark score of 2254 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i7-10710U (2248) and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (2246). The performance delta between these chips is negligible, all within 0.4% of each other.

The data suggests that the i5-9400 does not bottleneck the Arc B370 in this game. At 1080p, where the GPU is less stressed, the system achieves high frame rates. At 1440p and 4K, the frame rates drop, but this is consistent with the GPU’s limited compute and memory bandwidth, not a CPU limitation. The i5-9400’s six physical cores are sufficient for this adventure title, which is not known for being heavily CPU-bound. The CPU’s 47th percentile ranking indicates it is an average performer, and in this pairing, it is more than adequate to keep up with the GPU’s output.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the user’s display and performance priorities. For 1920x1080 displays, the High preset is the best recommendation. It delivers an average of 73 FPS, which is a smooth experience that balances visual quality with performance. While the Ultra preset reaches 65 FPS, the visual difference between High and Ultra in this style of game is often minimal, making the extra performance headroom of High the safer choice. For users with high refresh rate monitors, the Low preset (98 FPS) is the only way to approach 100 FPS, but the graphical hit may be too severe for some.

For 2560x1440 displays, the Medium preset is the most balanced option. It provides an average of 62 FPS, which is just on the right side of the 60 FPS target. The Low preset (74 FPS) offers a smoother experience but reduces visual detail. The High preset (55 FPS) is acceptable but may show occasional stutters in busy scenes. Ultra (49 FPS) is not recommended as it falls below the smoothness threshold.

For 3840x2160 displays, there is no ideal setting. The Low preset (49 FPS) is the most playable, but it still does not hit 60 FPS. The Medium preset (41 FPS) is playable for slower moments but will feel sluggish during action. High (37 FPS) and Ultra (33 FPS) are too demanding for this hardware. In this scenario, it is recommended to use the Low preset and accept the lower fidelity, or to lower the resolution to 1440p for a better experience. The data is clear: 4K should be avoided unless the user is willing to compromise on smoothness.