Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver is an Adventure title that, on paper, does not appear to be a demanding showcase for high-end hardware. Yet, the measured FPS data for the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination reveals a fascinating interplay between a legacy six-core processor and a flagship Ada Lovelace GPU. The benchmark results indicate that this pairing produces exceptionally high frame rates across all tested configurations, but the scaling patterns suggest the CPU is a more significant limiting factor than the GPU's raw power would imply.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is surprisingly modest, which is a strong indicator of where the bottleneck lies in this system. At 1080p with High settings, the combo delivers an average of 198 FPS. Moving to 1440p, that figure only drops to 180 FPS, a decline of approximately 9%. At 4K, the average settles at 154 FPS, which is still a 22% reduction from the 1080p baseline. This relatively gentle slope across resolutions is atypical for a GPU-bound scenario; usually, the pixel count increase from 1080p to 4K would impose a much heavier penalty on the graphics card.

The data suggests that the Intel Core i5-9400 is the primary constraint at lower resolutions. With only 6 cores and 6 threads, the CPU is likely maxing out its potential, preventing the RTX 4080 from fully stretching its legs. The evidence is clear when looking at the Low settings presets. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 219. At 1440p Low, it is 199, and at 4K Low, it is 174. The delta between 1080p and 1440p is just 20 FPS, indicating that even when the graphical load is light, the frame rate cannot scale linearly with the GPU's capacity. The GPU is waiting on the CPU to feed it data.

This pattern implies that the RTX 4080 is not the limiting component until the resolution becomes extremely high. The 4K Ultra preset shows an average of 136 FPS, which is still very playable but demonstrates a more pronounced performance hit. The gap between 1080p Ultra (189 FPS) and 4K Ultra (136 FPS) is 53 FPS, a much larger absolute difference than the 19 FPS gap seen between 1080p High and 4K High. This suggests that at 4K Ultra, the game's graphical demands finally start to engage the RTX 4080 more seriously, shifting the balance slightly away from the CPU bottleneck.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a Coffee Lake part from 2018, a time before hybrid architectures and high thread counts were standard for gaming. Its 6 cores and 6 threads are the bare minimum for many modern titles, and its boost clock of 4.10 GHz is respectable but not exceptional by today's standards. The benchmark results for this CPU, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6629 and a single-core score of 935, place it in the 47th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is a mid-range performer.

In Dave The Diver, the CPU's role appears to be the primary frame rate cap, especially at lower resolutions. The fact that the average FPS at 1080p Low (219) is only 13% higher than at 4K High (154) confirms this. If the GPU were the sole bottleneck, the 1080p Low result would be dramatically higher, potentially exceeding 300 FPS. Instead, the data shows a ceiling effect. The CPU is likely hitting its maximum thread utilization, and the frame rate is being dictated by how fast it can process game logic and draw calls.

This is further corroborated by the CPU's closest rivals. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 has an average benchmark score of 2259, a mere 0.2% higher than the i5-9400's 2254. Similarly, the Intel Core i3-10305 is 0.4% faster, and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 is 0.4% slower. These are all processors from a similar performance tier, meaning they would likely exhibit the same bottleneck characteristics. The data implies that to unlock higher frame rates in this title, a user would need a CPU with significantly more headroom, not just a marginal upgrade to a similar-class part.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 achieves a combo rank of 1135 out of 3710 tested combinations. This places it in the top 30.6% of all systems, which is a strong showing, but it is not at the absolute top tier. Given that the RTX 4080 is in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, one might expect a higher rank. The discrepancy is explained by the CPU's 47th percentile ranking.

The combo rank is a measure of the entire package's gaming performance, not just the GPU. The data shows that the RTX 4080 is being held back, and this is reflected in the overall ranking. If this GPU were paired with a top-tier processor, the combo would likely rank much higher, potentially in the top 5% or even top 1%. The current rank of 1135 suggests that while the system is very capable and delivers excellent frame rates, it is not extracting the full potential from its graphics card. The CPU is the anchor, preventing the combo from climbing the leaderboard.

It is also notably the RTX 4080's closest rivals, such as the RTX 4080 SUPER (0.1% faster) and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB (2.6% slower), would all be equally hampered by this specific CPU. The performance difference between these GPUs would be negligible in this scenario because the bottleneck is not the graphics card. The combo rank, therefore, is a more accurate reflection of the CPU's limitations than the GPU's capabilities.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at performance across all presets. At 1080p, the averages range from 189 FPS on Ultra to 219 FPS on Low. The Medium preset yields an average of 206 FPS, with a minimum of 175 FPS and a maximum of 237 FPS. This shows a clear trend: higher settings reduce the frame rate, but the impact is relatively small, with a 30 FPS difference between the lowest and highest quality presets.

Moving to 1440p, the averages are 172 FPS on Ultra, 180 FPS on High, 187 FPS on Medium, and 199 FPS on Low. The Medium preset again provides the only min/max data points, showing a minimum of 159 FPS and a maximum of 215 FPS. The consistency is remarkable; the frame rates remain well above the 144 Hz refresh rate common on modern monitors, even at the highest quality settings.

At 4K, the performance remains impressive, with an average of 136 FPS on Ultra, 154 FPS on High, 164 FPS on Medium, and 174 FPS on Low. The Medium preset at 4K shows a minimum of 139 FPS and a maximum of 188 FPS. The most interesting observation is the scaling between Medium and Low settings. At every resolution, the difference between Low and Medium is smaller than the difference between Medium and High, or High and Ultra. For instance, at 1440p, the jump from Low (199 FPS) to Medium (187 FPS) is 12 FPS, while the jump from Medium to High (180 FPS) is 7 FPS. This suggests diminishing returns on the higher presets in terms of FPS cost versus visual fidelity.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is a monster of a graphics card, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process. It features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s. Its 9728 shading units and 76 RT cores are more than capable of handling any modern game. The GPU's benchmark scores confirm its high-end status, with a Passmark G3D score of 34457 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6567.

However, in this specific configuration, the GPU's role is largely underutilized. The data shows that the RTX 4080 is not the primary factor determining frame rates in Dave The Diver until the resolution and settings are pushed to the extreme. The 4K Ultra preset, which averages 136 FPS, is the only scenario where the GPU's workload appears to be a significant contributor to the final framerate. The 20% performance drop from 4K High to 4K Ultra is a clear sign that the GPU is finally being taxed.

The GPU's VRAM capacity is not a concern here. The game is not likely to exceed 16 GB at these settings, and the bandwidth is more than sufficient. The GPU's clock speeds, with a boost of 2505 MHz, are high, but they are not the limiting factor. The evidence points to the CPU being the bottleneck, meaning the RTX 4080 is operating below its potential. This is a classic case of a high-end GPU being paired with a mid-range CPU, resulting in a system that is fast but not optimized.

FAQ

Q: Is this system capable of running Dave The Diver at 4K with high refresh rates?

A: Yes, the data shows it achieves an average of 154 FPS at 4K High settings, and 136 FPS at 4K Ultra. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold and even supports 120 Hz+ monitors.

Q: Why is the performance difference between 1080p and 1440p so small?

A: The small difference, such as 198 FPS to 180 FPS on High settings, indicates a CPU bottleneck. The Intel Core i5-9400 is limiting performance, preventing the GPU from showing its full potential at lower resolutions.

Q: What is the best preset to use for a competitive advantage?

A: The Low preset provides the highest average FPS (219 at 1080p, 199 at 1440p, 174 at 4K). However, the difference between Low and High is relatively small, so a user could likely choose High for better visuals without a significant FPS loss.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other systems?

A: This combo ranks 1135th out of 3710 tested combinations. This places it in the top 31% of all systems, which is strong, but not at the top tier due to the CPU's limitations.

Q: Is the RTX 4080 being fully utilized in this configuration?

A: No, the data suggests it is not. The CPU is the bottleneck, as evidenced by the minimal FPS scaling with resolution changes. The GPU is likely idle for a significant portion of the time, waiting for the CPU to provide data.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this setup?

A: The only minimum FPS values recorded are for the Medium preset. At 1080p, the minimum is 175 FPS, at 1440p it is 159 FPS, and at 4K it is 139 FPS. These are all very high minimums, indicating smooth performance.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear path for the optimal settings configuration. For users with a 1080p or 1440p monitor, the High preset is the recommended choice. The difference between High and Ultra is a 9 FPS drop at 1080p (198 to 189 FPS) and an 8 FPS drop at 1440p (180 to 172 FPS). This is a minimal cost for the visual improvements that High offers over Medium. The Ultra preset does provide a better visual experience, but the FPS hit is not worth it when the frame rates are already so high.

For 4K users, the High preset is also the best balance. It offers an average of 154 FPS, which is 18 FPS higher than the Ultra preset's 136 FPS. The jump from High to Ultra is the most expensive in terms of performance, representing a 12% FPS reduction. Given that the game is an Adventure title, the visual fidelity at High is likely sufficient for an immersive experience, and the higher frame rate will make the game feel smoother and more responsive.

The Medium preset is a viable option for those who want to ensure the highest possible minimum FPS. It is the only preset with recorded minimum values, showing a floor of 175 FPS at 1080p, 159 FPS at 1440p, and 139 FPS at 4K. However, the High preset's average FPS is still far above these minimums, making it the superior choice for most users. The Low preset offers the highest frame rates, but the visual quality trade-off is likely too severe for a game like this, where the art style and atmosphere are key selling points. The data strongly suggests that High is the sweet spot for this hardware combination across all resolutions.