Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver presents an interesting case study for this particular hardware pairing. The combination of a high-end 20-core Intel Core i7-14700K processor with a low-power integrated-class Intel Arc B370 GPU creates a significant performance bottleneck that is almost entirely on the graphics side. The benchmark results show a system that is capable of delivering playable frame rates at 1080p, but which struggles to maintain a smooth experience at higher resolutions. This analysis interprets the measured data to explain the scaling behavior, the CPU's role, and the optimal settings for this specific configuration.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data reveals a clear and predictable pattern: performance degrades significantly as resolution increases. At 1080p with High settings, the system achieves an average of 73 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops that average to 55 FPS, a substantial 24.7% reduction. Pushing further to 4K (3840x2160) results in an average of just 37 FPS, which is a 49.3% decline from the 1080p High result. This steep drop-off is a classic indicator that the GPU is the limiting factor. The Intel Arc B370, with its 6.144 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 1280 shading units, simply does not have the raw pixel-pushing power to maintain high frame rates as the pixel count increases.

The trend holds across all graphics presets. For instance, at Medium settings, the average FPS goes from 82 at 1080p to 62 at 1440p, and then down to 41 at 4K. Even at the lowest settings, the scaling is severe: 98 FPS at 1080p drops to 74 FPS at 1440p and 49 FPS at 4K. The fact that even Low settings cannot keep the 4K average above 50 FPS confirms that the bottleneck is the GPU's fill rate and shading capacity, not the CPU or memory bandwidth. The i7-14700K, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, is not being strained by this game at any resolution; the data shows the GPU is the ceiling for performance.

The difference between presets also narrows as resolution increases. At 1080p, the spread between Low (98 FPS) and Ultra (65 FPS) is 33 FPS. At 4K, the spread between Low (49 FPS) and Ultra (33 FPS) is only 16 FPS. This compression suggests that at higher resolutions, the GPU is so saturated that the additional work required by higher-quality settings has a proportionally smaller impact on the total frame time. The GPU is already spending most of its time on the base pixel workload, leaving little headroom for the extra effects and shading complexity of the Ultra preset. This reinforces the conclusion that the Intel Arc B370 is the definitive performance limiter in this configuration.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Dave The Diver with this hardware for a smooth 60 FPS experience?

A: The data shows that only the 1080p resolution consistently delivers frame rates at or near 60 FPS. At 1080p Low, the average is 98 FPS, and at 1080p High, it is 73 FPS. At 1440p, even the Low preset only averages 74 FPS, and the High preset drops to 55 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-14700K holding back the Intel Arc B370 in this game?

A: No. The data indicates that the CPU is not the limiting component. The i7-14700K has a benchmark score of 33,440.5 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and is in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. Given the large frame rate drops when moving from 1080p to 4K, the bottleneck is clearly the GPU's rendering capability, not the CPU's processing power.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370's performance compare to its closest rivals?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 1184. Its nearest rival, the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, has a score of 1186, which is 0.2% higher. The ATI Radeon HD 5770 is 0.5% faster, and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M is 0.7% faster. The only slower rival in the list is the AMD FirePro M2000, which is 1.4% slower. This places the Arc B370 in a performance class with legacy integrated graphics.

Q: Can this system run Dave The Diver at 4K?

A: Technically, yes, it can render the game at 4K, but the performance is not ideal. The highest average FPS at 3840x2160 is 49 FPS on the Low preset. The High preset averages 37 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages only 33 FPS. These frame rates are playable in a slow-paced adventure game but will not feel smooth, especially when compared to the 1080p results.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 98 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 65 FPS. This represents a 33 FPS difference, or a 33.7% performance cost for enabling the highest visual quality settings. The Medium preset sits in between at 82 FPS.

Q: What is the CPU's single-threaded performance like, and why might it matter?

A: The i7-14700K scores 2160 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 4472 in Passmark single-thread tests. While Dave The Diver is not likely to be heavily multithreaded, a strong single-core score ensures that game logic and physics calculations are handled efficiently, preventing CPU-related hitches in frame time.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a high-end desktop processor with 20 cores (8 Performance-cores and 12 Efficient-cores) and 28 threads. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, and its 33 MB of shared L3 cache helps keep frequently used data close at hand. In the context of Dave The Diver, the CPU's role is to manage the game's simulation, AI, and object interactions. The benchmark data suggests that this CPU is overkill for the task. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 33,440.5 puts it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, and it is practically tied with rivals like the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (0.2% faster) and the AMD EPYC 9115 (0.1% slower).

The measured FPS data supports the idea that the CPU is not the constraint. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see frame rates that are relatively consistent across different resolutions, because the CPU's workload does not change much with resolution. However, the data shows a drastic drop in FPS from 1080p to 4K. For example, at High settings, the average FPS falls from 73 at 1080p to 37 at 4K. This is a clear sign that the GPU, not the CPU, is what's limiting the frame rate. The i7-14700K is likely sitting idle for a significant portion of each frame, waiting for the Intel Arc B370 to finish its rendering tasks.

This pairing is a classic example of a CPU-heavy configuration with a GPU bottleneck. The CPU's power is effectively wasted in this specific game at these settings, as it can easily feed frames to the GPU, but the GPU cannot render them fast enough. The 20-core processor's high single-thread performance (2160 in Cinebench R23 single-core) ensures that there are no stutters from CPU logic hiccups, but it cannot compensate for the GPU's lack of raw throughput. For a game like Dave The Diver, which is not graphically demanding, this CPU would be better paired with a much stronger discrete GPU to unlock higher frame rates and resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i7-14700K and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2642 out of 2867 tested combos in Dave The Diver. This places it in the bottom 7.8% of all tested systems. The ranking is a direct reflection of the GPU's low performance, despite the CPU's high-end status. This is a significant mismatch; the CPU is in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is only in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. The combo rank is dragged down entirely by the Intel Arc B370.

The data suggests that this combo is not well-suited for this game. The high rank number (2642 out of 2867) indicates that most other hardware combinations will provide a better experience. This is not a slight against the CPU, but rather proof of the fact that a low-power integrated GPU cannot deliver the frame rates that a gamer would expect from a system with a top-tier processor. The combos that rank higher are likely to feature more balanced CPU/GPU pairings, or at least a GPU with more dedicated graphics memory and processing power. For the i7-14700K, a more appropriate GPU would be one with a much higher benchmark score, as the CPU's potential is completely untapped in this configuration.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table presents the exact measured average FPS, and where available, the minimum and maximum FPS, for each resolution and settings preset.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|---------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 37 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 49 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 41 | 35 | 47 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 33 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | High | 55 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 74 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 62 | 52 | 71 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 49 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | High | 73 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 98 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 82 | 70 | 94 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 65 | - | - |

At 1080p, the system provides a playable experience across all presets. The Low preset is the only one that pushes past 90 FPS, averaging 98 FPS. The High preset offers a solid 73 FPS, and the Medium preset is a balanced 82 FPS. The Ultra preset, at 65 FPS, is still playable but shows a clear performance cost. The Medium preset's minimum FPS of 70 and maximum of 94 show some variance, but it remains within a smooth range.

At 1440p, the performance becomes more inconsistent. The Low preset is the only one that maintains an average above 60 FPS, at 74 FPS. The High and Medium presets, at 55 FPS and 62 FPS respectively, are still playable but will not feel as fluid. The Ultra preset drops to an average of 49 FPS, which is noticeably less smooth. The Medium preset's minimum FPS of 52 indicates that there will be occasional dips below 60 FPS.

At 4K, the system is clearly overburdened. The Low preset averages 49 FPS, which is borderline playable. The Medium preset averages 41 FPS, with a minimum of 35 FPS, indicating significant frame time spikes. The High preset averages 37 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages just 33 FPS. None of the 4K presets provide a consistently smooth experience, and the game is best played at a lower resolution.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience with this hardware, the data clearly points to 1080p as the target resolution. At 1080p, the system can offer a high refresh rate experience. The Low preset is the only setting that achieves near-100 FPS, with an average of 98 FPS. This is the best choice for players who prioritize maximum fluidity and have a high refresh rate monitor. The visual sacrifice is significant, but the frame rate gain is substantial.

For a more balanced experience that still maintains a high level of smoothness, the High preset at 1080p is the recommended choice. It averages 73 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for comfortable gameplay. This preset will provide a much better visual quality than Low while still maintaining a frame rate that is responsive and smooth. The Medium preset, at 82 FPS, is also a good option, but High offers a better visual return for the 11 FPS cost.

The Ultra preset at 1080p is not recommended. At 65 FPS, it is still technically playable, but the performance cost from High to Ultra (a 12% drop) does not yield enough of a visual improvement to justify it on this GPU. The system's limited GPU resources are better allocated to maintaining a higher frame rate. At 1440p, the Low preset is the only viable option for a 60 FPS experience, but the jump from 1080p Low (98 FPS) to 1440p Low (74 FPS) is steep. This configuration is best used with a 1080p display.