Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver presents a fascinating case study in hardware scaling, and the combination of an Intel Core i9-14900K with a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 shows a system that is hilariously overpowered for the task at hand. The data reveals a game that is so lightweight that it challenges traditional notions of where bottlenecks lie, moving the discussion from "can it run?" to "what breaks first?" This analysis digs into the specific numbers to understand how this top-tier combo behaves across resolutions and settings, offering a clear picture of its capabilities and limitations within this specific title.

Resolution Scaling

Analyzing the measured FPS data for this combination in Dave The Diver reveals an inverse relationship between resolution and frame rate that is typical, but the sheer magnitude of the numbers makes the curve remarkably steep. At the 1080p resolution, the system is essentially unshackled, producing average frame rates that far exceed the refresh rates of most monitors. Dropping the settings from High to Low at this resolution yields a massive jump from 305 FPS to 408 FPS, which strongly suggests that the system is not being constrained by the rendering pipeline at all.

As we ascend to 2560x1440, we see the expected performance dip, but the frame rates remain absurdly high. The High preset at 1440p averages 230 FPS, which is still a 75 FPS drop from the 1080p High result. This indicates that the GPU is beginning to take on more work, but it is still nowhere near its limit. The most telling data point comes when moving to 4K (3840x2160). Here, the High preset averages 154 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 136 FPS. While this is a significant reduction from the 1080p numbers, it still represents a buttery-smooth experience that would be the envy of most gaming systems in far more demanding titles.

The scaling pattern suggests that the limiting component is almost exclusively the GPU, but only in the most extreme scenarios. At 1080p, the CPU is likely the primary bottleneck, as the GPU is so fast that it's waiting for the processor to feed it data. However, at 4K, the GPU's workload increases enough that it becomes the definitive limiting factor. The fact that the difference between 1080p Low and 4K Low is a staggering 202 FPS (408 vs. 206) illustrates just how much more work the GPU is doing at higher resolutions. The data implies that this game is so light on both CPU and GPU that the only real lever for performance is resolution scaling, and even then, the system never comes close to struggling.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of the benchmark database, this specific CPU and GPU pairing achieves a combo rank of 215 out of 3710 tested combinations for Dave The Diver. This places it in the top percentile of all systems tested in this game, proof of the raw power of both components. The question is not whether this combo is fast, but rather why it isn't ranked even higher. The answer lies in the nature of the game itself; with frame rates already exceeding 250 FPS at 1080p on High settings, there is very little headroom for other, even more powerful hardware to differentiate itself.

This ranking suggests that the i9-14900K and RTX 4080 are more than sufficient to dominate this title. The data indicates that the system is likely hitting a performance ceiling that is defined more by the game engine's frame pacing or draw call submission than by the sheer computational power of the hardware. For the overwhelming majority of users, this ranking would be considered a flawless victory. It's only in the context of comparing against other extreme high-end combos that the 215th position reveals that there is a small group of systems that can push even higher, likely by brute-forcing through the engine's limitations with even faster CPUs. For all practical purposes, this combo is in the top tier of performance for Dave The Diver.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a monolithic powerhouse, and its specifications paint a picture of a CPU that is vastly overqualified for this game. With 24 cores and 32 threads, a boost clock of 6.00 GHz, and a substantial 36 MB of shared L3 cache, it is built for heavy multi-threaded workloads like video editing and 3D rendering. In a game like Dave The Diver, which is likely not designed to utilize 32 threads effectively, the CPU's role is less about raw multi-core might and more about its exceptional single-core performance.

The benchmark results for the CPU confirm its top-tier status. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2262.5 and multi-core score of 39399.5 place it among the fastest consumer processors available, with a percentile rank of 95 against all CPUs. However, in this specific game, the measured FPS data suggests that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor, as evidenced by the 52 FPS drop from Low (206 FPS) to Ultra (136 FPS) settings. But at 1080p, the data hints that the CPU's single-thread speed is what allows the GPU to reach its astronomical frame rates. The high clock speed of 6.00 GHz is likely the key attribute here, enabling the processor to quickly process game logic and issue draw calls, preventing it from holding back the RTX 4080. The CPU's performance in this title reflects the fact that for less demanding games, a high single-thread clock speed is often more important than a massive core count.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average frame rate this combo achieves in Dave The Diver?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 408, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: How does the frame rate compare between 1080p and 4K at the High preset?

A: At 1080p High, the average is 305 FPS. At 4K High, the average drops to 154 FPS, representing a 151 FPS decrease due to the significantly higher rendering resolution.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The average FPS drops from 206 at Low to 136 at Ultra, showing that increasing the GPU's workload directly impacts performance. The CPU is fast enough to not become a bottleneck at this resolution.

Q: What is the lowest average frame rate recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest average FPS is 136, which occurs at the most demanding configuration: 3840x2160 resolution with the Ultra settings preset.

Q: Does this combo rank well compared to other systems tested?

A: Yes, it ranks 215th out of 3710 tested combinations, placing it in the top percentile of all systems for performance in this specific game.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 2560x1440?

A: At 1440p, the average FPS drops from 307 on Low to 203 on Ultra, a 104 FPS decrease, showing the significant impact of graphical settings on frame rate.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is the other half of this formidable duo, and its architecture and memory configuration are more than enough to handle Dave The Diver. With 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, the GPU has ample bandwidth (716.8 GB/s) and capacity to handle any texture or asset the game can throw at it, even at 4K resolution. Its high boost clock of 2505 MHz and 9728 shading units provide the raw compute power to push the high frame rates seen in the data.

The GPU's benchmark scores, such as a Passmark G3D score of 34457, place it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, confirming its high-end status. However, in this game, the GPU's role is primarily to render the game's 2D and simple 3D elements at incredibly high speeds. The data shows that it is the primary bottleneck at 4K resolution, where its performance is challenged by the sheer number of pixels. The difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 4K is a 70 FPS drop (206 to 136), which is a much larger absolute difference than at 1440p (104 FPS drop from 307 to 203). This shows that the GPU is working progressively harder as the resolution increases. The RTX 4080 is so powerful that it is only at 4K Ultra where it starts to break a sweat, and even then, it's delivering a flawless 136 FPS average. The GPU is clearly the component that dictates the final performance ceiling at higher resolutions, while the CPU allows it to stretch its legs at lower ones.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combination depend entirely on the user's display and preference for frame rate versus visual fidelity. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the clear recommendation, as it delivers an average of 269 FPS. This is still an exceptionally high frame rate, and it offers the best visual quality without sacrificing the fluidity of the experience. Choosing a lower preset at this resolution would only serve to push frame rates into territory that is likely imperceptible to the human eye, making the Ultra preset the best balance of quality and speed.

At 2560x1440, the High preset, averaging 230 FPS, is the sweet spot. It provides a massive performance headroom over the Ultra preset's 203 FPS while still looking fantastic. For users with high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors (e.g., 240Hz), the High preset is ideal, as it keeps the frame rate high enough to fully utilize the display. The Ultra preset is still viable, but it trades a significant 27 FPS for what might be a marginal visual improvement.

At 3840x2160, the High preset is the most balanced choice, delivering a very smooth 154 FPS average. This is a great result for 4K gaming. The Ultra preset, at 136 FPS, is also perfectly playable and offers the maximum visual fidelity. Given that the minimum FPS data for Medium at 4K is 146, the High preset is likely to provide a stable and consistent experience. Therefore, the recommendation is to use the High preset at 4K, as it offers the best combination of high frame rate and visual quality, ensuring a responsive and immersive experience without the need to compromise on settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

Here is the complete breakdown of the measured average frame rates for the Intel Core i9-14900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination in Dave The Diver:

• 1920x1080 (1080p):
• Low: 408 FPS average
• Medium: 342 FPS average (min 290, max 393)
• High: 305 FPS average
• Ultra: 269 FPS average

• 2560x1440 (1440p):
• Low: 307 FPS average
• Medium: 257 FPS average (min 219, max 296)
• High: 230 FPS average
• Ultra: 203 FPS average

• 3840x2160 (4K):
• Low: 206 FPS average
• Medium: 172 FPS average (min 146, max 198)
• High: 154 FPS average
• Ultra: 136 FPS average

The data shows a clear and consistent hierarchy: lower resolutions and lower settings yield higher frame rates. The system's performance is exceptional across the board, with even the most demanding configuration (4K Ultra) maintaining an average well above 120 FPS. The frame time data for the Medium preset at all resolutions shows a consistent minimum, indicating stable performance without major hitches. This combination of hardware proves to be a masterclass in overkill for Dave The Diver, delivering a flawless, high-refresh-rate experience at any resolution.