Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver presents an interesting case study in hardware scaling because its stylized, 2D presentation belies a demanding rendering workload at high resolutions. The benchmark data for the Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 shows a system that is overwhelmingly capable of pushing this title to its limits, with performance scaling that shifts from a CPU-bound scenario at lower resolutions to a GPU-bound one at 4K. The measured FPS across all settings and resolutions indicates that this combination delivers a consistently smooth experience, and the relative performance deltas between settings reveal where the hardware’s headroom lies.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K shows a predictable but significant drop in frame rates, highlighting the increasing load on the GPU. At the "Low" preset, the average frame rate falls from 304.1 FPS at 1920x1080 to 154.1 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 49.3% reduction in performance, illustrating that even a relatively light preset for the GPU becomes more demanding as pixel count quadruples. The scaling is less dramatic but still substantial at the "Ultra" preset, where the average drops from 204 FPS at 1080p to 99.8 FPS at 4K, a 51.1% decrease. This consistent reduction of roughly half the frame rate when moving from 1080p to 4K is a classic indicator that the GPU is becoming the limiting component at the higher resolution.

The data suggests that the CPU has ample headroom at 1080p, as the frame rates are exceptionally high, even at "Ultra" settings. The jump from 1080p "Ultra" (204 FPS) to 1440p "Ultra" (150.7 FPS) is a 26.1% drop, while the subsequent jump from 1440p to 4K "Ultra" (99.8 FPS) is a 33.8% drop. The increasing percentage drop with each resolution step confirms that the rendering load is scaling faster than the CPU's ability to feed the GPU, solidifying the GPU as the primary bottleneck at 4K. At 1080p, the extremely high frame rates suggest the CPU might be nearing its limit, but the absolute numbers are so high that it is irrelevant for practical gameplay.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings profiles. The "High" preset shows a drop from 225.4 FPS at 1080p to 173.6 FPS at 1440p and finally to 115.7 FPS at 4K. The "Medium" preset follows suit, with figures of 257.5, 194.7, and 130.4 FPS respectively. This uniform behavior across presets indicates a well-balanced system where the performance curve is primarily dictated by resolution, not by specific in-game graphical features. The most significant performance cliff occurs between 1440p and 4K, where the pixel count increase demands the most from the RTX 3080's memory bandwidth and shader throughput.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its benchmark scores are formidable, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39000 and a single-core score of 5505. These numbers place it in the 93rd percentile for all CPUs, and its average benchmark score of 47282 is nearly identical to its closest rival, the Intel Core i7-13700KF, which scores 47334 (a delta of -0.1%). This processing power ensures that the CPU is rarely a limiting factor in Dave The Diver.

In this game, the CPU's role appears to be more about maintaining high minimum frame rates and ensuring smoothness rather than pushing maximum FPS. The multi-threaded performance, evidenced by the PassMark multithread score of 45887 and a 3DMark max threads score of 12412, ensures that background tasks and game logic do not cause stutters. The high single-thread performance, with a Geekbench single-core score of 2850, is crucial for the game's core simulation loop. The data shows that at 1080p "Low," the system achieves 304.1 FPS, which is likely near the CPU's practical limit for this title, but it is a limit that is far beyond what any display can currently show.

The processor's large 30 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache likely help in keeping frequently accessed game data close to the cores, reducing latency. However, the benchmark results do not show a situation where the CPU is severely bottlenecking the GPU. The incremental performance gains from lowering settings at 1080p (from 204 FPS at "Ultra" to 304.1 FPS at "Low") are substantial, which hints that even at 1080p, the GPU is still doing meaningful work. The CPU's performance is sufficient to feed the GPU at all but the most extreme frame rates, and its 93rd percentile ranking versus all CPUs confirms its top-tier status.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is the workhorse in this configuration, and its 10 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 320-bit bus with 760.3 GB/s of bandwidth is a critical asset for higher resolutions. Its boost clock of 1710 MHz and 8704 shading units allow it to handle the pixel throughput required by 4K. The GPU's benchmark scores, including a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4407 and a PassMark G3D score of 25086, place it in the 80th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 35787 is statistically tied with its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon Pro Duo (35860, -0.2% delta) and the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE (36101, -0.9% delta).

The GPU's role in Dave The Diver is clearly defined by the resolution scaling data. The frame rate drop from 1440p "Ultra" (150.7 FPS) to 4K "Ultra" (99.8 FPS) is a 33.8% decrease, which is directly attributable to the increased fill rate and memory pressure at 4K. The 10 GB VRAM capacity appears sufficient for this title, as there is no anomalous performance collapse at 4K that would suggest memory swapping. The memory bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s is likely the key enabler for maintaining playable frame rates at 4K, as the game's art style with high-resolution textures and effects can be bandwidth-intensive.

The GPU's performance ceiling is most evident when comparing the "Low" and "Ultra" presets at the same resolution. At 4K, the difference is 54.3 FPS (from 154.1 to 99.8), while at 1080p, the difference is 100.1 FPS (from 304.1 to 204). This shows that at lower resolutions, the GPU has more headroom to render additional graphical effects without sacrificing as much performance, whereas at 4K, the fixed cost of the higher pixel count reduces the absolute impact of changing settings. The RTX 3080's position in the 80th percentile of all GPUs suggests it is a high-end part, and the data confirms it is well-matched to the i7-13700K for this game.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate for this combo at 1440p on 'High' settings?

A: The average frame rate at 2560x1440 on 'High' settings is 173.6 FPS.

Q: How much faster is this system at 1080p 'Low' compared to 4K 'Ultra'?

A: At 1080p 'Low', the system achieves 304.1 FPS, while at 4K 'Ultra', it achieves 99.8 FPS. The 1080p result is approximately three times faster than the 4K result.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU act as the main bottleneck at 4K resolution?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting component at 4K. The frame rate drops significantly from 1440p to 4K across all settings, which is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance.

Q: What is the performance difference between the 'Medium' and 'High' presets at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the 'Medium' preset averages 257.5 FPS, while the 'High' preset averages 225.4 FPS. The 'Medium' preset is 32.1 FPS faster.

Q: How does the Core i7-13700K compare to its closest rival, the Core i7-13700KF?

A: The Core i7-13700K has an average benchmark score of 47282, which is 0.1% lower than the Core i7-13700KF's score of 47334. The performance difference is negligible.

Q: Is the 10 GB VRAM of the RTX 3080 sufficient for this game at 4K?

A: Based on the measured FPS data, yes. The system maintains an average of 99.8 FPS at 4K 'Ultra', and there is no evidence in the frame rate data to suggest a VRAM capacity issue is causing performance degradation.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 ranks 484th out of 1626 tested combos in Dave The Diver. This places the system in the top 29.8% of all configurations tested for this specific game. This is a strong ranking, indicating that while there are faster systems, this combo is well above the median performance tier. The rank reflects the balanced nature of the pairing, where neither component is severely holding back the other.

The ranking reflects the high-performance ceiling of both parts. The CPU's 93rd percentile standing and the GPU's 80th percentile standing suggest that this combo leverages two high-tier components. The fact that it lands in the upper third of all combos, despite the GPU being from a previous generation, shows that the i7-13700K's strong multi-core and single-core performance helps to maximize the RTX 3080's output. The gap between this combo and the top rankings is likely due to newer, more powerful GPUs that can push 4K 'Ultra' settings to higher frame rates.

The benchmark data shows that this combo is not leaving significant performance on the table. The frame rates achieved are exceptionally high, and the system is more than capable of driving high-refresh-rate monitors at 1440p and even 4K at playable frame rates. The ranking of 484 out of 1626 is a solid result, and it underscores that this is a high-end configuration that will provide a smooth experience in this title for the foreseeable future.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at the system's performance across all settings and resolutions. The results are consistent and show a clear hierarchy based on graphical fidelity.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Ultra: 99.8 FPS
• High: 115.7 FPS
• Medium: 130.4 FPS
• Low: 154.1 FPS

At 4K, the system remains playable even at 'Ultra' settings, with an average of 99.8 FPS. Lowering to 'Low' settings provides a 54.3 FPS boost, pushing the performance to 154.1 FPS.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Ultra: 150.7 FPS
• High: 173.6 FPS
• Medium: 194.7 FPS
• Low: 232.9 FPS

At 1440p, the system is exceptionally fast. Even at 'Ultra', it averages 150.7 FPS, which is well above the threshold for high-refresh-rate gaming. The 'Low' preset reaches 232.9 FPS.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Ultra: 204 FPS
• High: 225.4 FPS
• Medium: 257.5 FPS
• Low: 304.1 FPS

At 1080p, the system is overwhelmingly powerful. The 'Ultra' preset averages 204 FPS, and the 'Low' preset reaches 304.1 FPS. This indicates that the system is more than capable of maximizing any high-refresh-rate 1080p monitor.

The data shows a clear pattern: the performance headroom is substantial at 1080p and 1440p, while 4K 'Ultra' is the only configuration that brings the system near the 100 FPS mark. This breakdown confirms that the RTX 3080 is the primary driver of performance scaling, with the i7-13700K providing a stable foundation that does not bottleneck the frame rate at any tested setting.