Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver is a light, top-down adventure game, but the benchmark data for the Intel Core i9-14900K paired with the Intel Arc B570 reveals a surprisingly wide performance envelope depending on how you configure it. Across the tested resolutions and presets, the combo demonstrates a clear shift from being heavily CPU-bound at 1080p to becoming increasingly GPU-limited as the pixel count climbs to 4K. The data indicates a hardware pairing that is more than capable of delivering a fluid experience at high refresh rates on standard monitors, but requires careful settings management to maintain a locked 60 frames per second at 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial, and the pattern of that drop tells a clear story about which component is in the driver's seat at each resolution. At the High preset, the average frame rate falls from 124 FPS at 1920x1080 to 94 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 30 FPS. Moving to 3840x2160, the average further declines to 63 FPS, which is a 31 FPS drop from the 1440p result. This scaling is steep, indicating that the Intel Arc B570 is the limiting factor as resolution increases, a common trait for a GPU in this performance class.

The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly telling. The 63 FPS average at 4K High represents only about 50.8% of the performance seen at 1080p High. This near-halving of frame rate is a classic sign of a GPU struggling to fill the massive number of pixels required at 3840x2160. The data suggests that the Core i9-14900K, with its high core count and boost clock, is not the bottleneck at these higher resolutions; the Arc B570's fill rate and memory bandwidth are being saturated.

When looking at the Low preset, the scaling pattern is similar but shifted upward. The 1080p Low result of 167 FPS drops to 125 FPS at 1440p, and then down to 84 FPS at 4K. The absolute frame rates are higher, but the percentage drop from 1440p to 4K is still steep, reinforcing the idea that the GPU's raw compute and memory throughput are the primary constraints at higher resolutions. The difference between the Low and High presets at 4K (84 FPS vs. 63 FPS) also highlights how much headroom can be found by reducing graphical fidelity.

The data supports the conclusion that this combination is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming. At 1080p, the frame rates are high enough to take advantage of high-refresh-rate monitors, and the CPU has plenty of headroom. At 1440p, the system still provides excellent performance, with all presets clearing the 83 FPS mark. However, the 4K results show a system that is firmly on the edge of playability, especially when aiming for higher visual quality presets.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570's specifications, as detailed in the fact pack, directly correlate with the observed performance scaling. Its memory configuration is a key factor: 10 GB of GDDR6 on a 160-bit bus yields a bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s. This is a solid figure for a mid-range card, but it is not an overwhelming amount of bandwidth for 4K rendering, which explains the sharp decline in frame rates at that resolution. The GPU's boost clock is fixed at 2500 MHz, and the memory clock is 2375 MHz (19 Gbps effective), figures that define its processing pace.

In the context of Dave The Diver, a game with a 2D art style but modern lighting and post-processing effects, the GPU's role is to handle the rendering of these effects. The Arc B570's 2304 shading units and 144 texture mapping units are tasked with processing the game's visuals. The benchmark results show that at 1080p and 1440p, the GPU has enough throughput to maintain high frame rates, but at 4K, the demand on the pixel rate (200.0 GPixel/s) and texture rate (360.0 GTexel/s) becomes too high, causing the average FPS to drop below the 60 FPS threshold on High and Ultra presets.

The GPU's performance relative to its peers, as shown by its nearest rivals, puts it in a specific tier. It is essentially on par with the Intel Arc A750, with a deltaPct of -0.1, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, with a deltaPct of 0.1. This means that for this game, the B570 is performing exactly as expected for its class, neither over- nor under-delivering. Its 65th percentile rank among all GPUs suggests it is a competent performer, but it is not a high-end part designed for 4K ultra settings in more demanding titles. In this game, the data shows it is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K Ultra result of 55 FPS indicates that the card is hitting its limits.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of all tested hardware combinations for Dave The Diver, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i9-14900K and Intel Arc B570 holds a rank of 2282 out of 2867 combos. This places it in the lower half of the database, which might seem surprising given the high-end CPU involved. However, this ranking reflects the overall system performance, and it is heavily weighted by the GPU's capabilities. The Core i9-14900K is a top-tier processor, as evidenced by its 95th percentile rank among all CPUs, but the Arc B570 is a mid-range graphics card, ranking in the 65th percentile among all GPUs.

The combo's rank of 2282 is a direct consequence of this pairing. It is not a reflection of poor engineering or a faulty component, but rather a statement about the balance of the system. The CPU has massive headroom, but that headroom is wasted in a game like Dave The Diver, where the GPU is the primary determinant of frame rate at higher resolutions. The data suggests that the i9-14900K is capable of feeding the B570 at 1080p, but at 4K, the GPU is the clear bottleneck.

When considering the CPU's nearest rivals, the performance picture is clear. The i9-14900K scores are within 1.2% of the AMD EPYC 7413 and within 1.7% of the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395, showing that the CPU is among the fastest available. Yet, this raw CPU power does not translate into a high combo rank because the game's performance is not CPU-bound in most tested scenarios. The ranking serves as a reminder that a balanced system is often more important than having the single fastest component. In this case, the i9-14900K is overkill for the Arc B570, but the system still delivers playable performance across most settings and resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. The data shows a clear hierarchy of presets, with the average FPS decreasing as visual fidelity increases from Low to Medium to High to Ultra. The goal is to find the highest preset that maintains a smooth experience, typically considered to be 60 FPS or higher.

For 1080p gaming, the data shows that all presets are viable, with even the Ultra preset averaging 110 FPS. The Low preset hits 167 FPS, which is excellent for competitive or high-refresh-rate play, but the jump to Medium (139 FPS) or High (124 FPS) is a better trade-off for visual quality without sacrificing much performance. The Ultra preset at 110 FPS is the best choice for maximum visual detail, as it still provides a very fluid experience.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is the sweet spot. It averages 105 FPS with a minimum of 89 FPS, providing a smooth experience that is well above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset (94 FPS) is also excellent, but the Medium preset offers a slightly more comfortable frame rate buffer. The Low preset (125 FPS) is there for those who prioritize frame rate above all else, while the Ultra preset (83 FPS) remains playable but is the first to show signs of stress.

For 4K, the choices are more constrained. The Low preset (84 FPS) is the only one that provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The Medium preset averages 70 FPS with a minimum of 60 FPS, which is playable but will have occasional dips to the 60 FPS line. The High preset (63 FPS) is borderline, and the Ultra preset (55 FPS) falls below the ideal 60 FPS threshold, making it the least recommended for a smooth experience. For 4K, the recommendation is to use the Medium preset for a consistent frame rate, or the Low preset for maximum smoothness.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data is comprehensive, covering three resolutions and four settings presets. Here is the full breakdown of the average frame rates, with minimum and maximum values provided for the Medium preset.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Ultra: 110 FPS average
• High: 124 FPS average
• Medium: 139 FPS average (min: 118 FPS, max: 160 FPS)
• Low: 167 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Ultra: 83 FPS average
• High: 94 FPS average
• Medium: 105 FPS average (min: 89 FPS, max: 121 FPS)
• Low: 125 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K)

• Ultra: 55 FPS average
• High: 63 FPS average
• Medium: 70 FPS average (min: 60 FPS, max: 81 FPS)
• Low: 84 FPS average

The data shows a consistent scaling factor between each preset at every resolution. For example, moving from Low to Medium at 1080p reduces the average FPS by 28 FPS (from 167 to 139), while moving from Medium to High reduces it by another 15 FPS (from 139 to 124). This pattern is consistent, indicating that the game's settings have a predictable impact on performance.

The Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum and maximum FPS values, which provides insight into frame time consistency. At 1080p, the minimum of 118 FPS and maximum of 160 FPS show a variance of 42 FPS, indicating some frame pacing fluctuations. At 1440p, the range is from 89 to 121 FPS (a 32 FPS spread), and at 4K, it is from 60 to 81 FPS (a 21 FPS spread). This data suggests that while the average frame rate drops, the frame time consistency actually improves as resolution increases, likely because the CPU bottleneck is relieved and the GPU's workload becomes more uniform.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve 60 FPS on High settings?

A: The data shows that the system achieves 124 FPS at 1080p High and 94 FPS at 1440p High. At 4K High, the average FPS drops to 63, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold but with little headroom. For a comfortable margin, 1440p High is the highest resolution that provides a significant buffer above 60 FPS.

Q: Is the Intel Core i9-14900K a bottleneck for the Intel Arc B570 in this game?

A: The benchmark results indicate that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. The frame rate scaling from 1440p to 4K shows a significant drop, which is characteristic of a GPU limitation. At 1080p, the CPU has more influence, but the high frame rates (110-167 FPS) suggest it is still not a limiting factor.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B570 perform compared to its direct rivals in this system?

A: The fact pack shows that the Arc B570's average benchmark score is within 0.1% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile and within 0.1% of the Intel Arc A750. This indicates that in terms of raw compute, it is essentially on par with these cards, and the performance in Dave The Diver is likely to be very similar.

Q: Can this system maintain a smooth 60 FPS experience at 4K?

A: Yes, but with limitations. The data shows that the Low preset at 4K averages 84 FPS, and the Medium preset averages 70 FPS with a minimum of 60 FPS. The High preset averages 63 FPS, which is borderline, and the Ultra preset falls below 60 FPS at 55 FPS. For a consistent 60 FPS, the Medium preset is the safest choice.

Q: What is the most impactful settings change for improving frame rate?

A: The data shows that moving from High to Medium settings provides a significant performance boost. At 4K, this change increases the average FPS from 63 to 70, and at 1440p, it goes from 94 to 105. The jump from Medium to Low is even larger, but the visual quality trade-off may not be worth it for most users.

Q: Where does this combo rank among all tested systems for this game?

A: This specific pairing of the Intel Core i9-14900K and Intel Arc B570 ranks 2282 out of 2867 tested combinations. This places it in the lower half of all systems, which is primarily due to the mid-range GPU limiting the overall system performance, despite the high-end CPU.