Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver presents a demanding workload for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the Intel Arc B370, a combination that lands in the bottom tier of tested systems. The benchmark data shows a configuration that is fundamentally GPU-limited at every resolution, with the integrated graphics solution struggling to maintain playable frame rates even at 1080p. The combo ranks 2642nd out of 2867 tested combinations, placing it in the 8th percentile, which underscores a significant performance deficit relative to the majority of systems in the database. This pairing is best suited for players willing to make substantial compromises in visual fidelity and resolution to achieve a smooth experience.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling across resolutions clearly identifies the Intel Arc B370 as the primary bottleneck. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 on High settings, the average frame rate drops from 73 FPS to 55 FPS, a 25% reduction. The subsequent jump to 3840x2160 at High settings yields 37 FPS, which is another 33% decrease from the 1440p figure. This steep decline indicates that the GPU’s rendering capabilities are exhausted quickly as pixel count increases, with the system unable to maintain performance as the workload expands.

At the lowest settings, the same pattern emerges with even more pronounced drops. The 1080p Low preset achieves 98 FPS, but this falls to 74 FPS at 1440p (a 24% decrease) and further to 49 FPS at 4K (a 34% drop from 1440p). The consistency of these percentage losses across different quality presets confirms that resolution scaling is purely a function of the GPU's fill rate and pixel processing power. The data suggests that the CPU, with its 10 cores and 10 threads, has ample headroom to feed the GPU, as the frame rate collapses proportionally with the increased pixel workload rather than showing signs of a CPU-side plateau.

The gap between Low and Ultra settings also widens with resolution, providing further evidence of GPU limitation. At 1080p, the difference between Low (98 FPS) and Ultra (65 FPS) is 33 FPS. At 1440p, this gap narrows to 25 FPS (74 FPS vs 49 FPS), and at 4K, it compresses to just 16 FPS (49 FPS vs 33 FPS). This compression at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU is so saturated with pixel processing that the additional cost of higher-quality effects becomes relatively less impactful on the final frame rate. The system is simply running out of raw throughput, making the Arc B370 the definitive limiting component across all tested configurations.

FAQ

Q: What is the best average frame rate this combo can achieve in Dave The Diver?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 98 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset. This is the only configuration that approaches high-refresh-rate territory, while all other settings and resolutions result in averages below 83 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Dave The Diver?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the average frame rates range from 33 FPS on Ultra to 49 FPS on Low. Even the lowest preset fails to reach 50 FPS, and the High and Medium presets deliver 37 FPS and 41 FPS respectively, indicating a sub-optimal experience at this resolution.

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

A: The Arc B370’s average benchmark score is 1184, which is nearly identical to the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570's score of 1186 (a 0.2% difference) and the ATI Radeon HD 5770's score of 1190 (a 0.5% difference). It performs marginally better than the AMD FirePro M2000, which scores 1168, but is 1.4% ahead of that card.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 a powerful processor?

A: The CPU’s average benchmark score is 36938, which places it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs tested. It is statistically tied with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, which scores 36945, and is slightly ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D, which trails by 0.2%. This indicates a strong processor that is not the performance bottleneck in this pairing.

Q: What is the launch MSRP for the processor in this combo?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has a launch MSRP of $246. This information is provided for reference only and does not account for the overall system cost, which is dominated by other components.

Q: Are there any settings that provide a stable 60 FPS experience at 1080p?

A: The data shows that the Medium preset at 1920x1080 averages 82 FPS with a minimum of 70 FPS, which is comfortably above 60 FPS. The High preset averages 73 FPS, also clearing the 60 FPS threshold, though it lacks a recorded minimum frame rate for comparison.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process. Its specifications are robust for gaming, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, supported by 20 MB of shared L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, the chip scores 25891 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 3655 points in single-core, demonstrating strong computational capability. Its average benchmark score of 36938 places it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is a high-performing part in isolation.

However, in the context of Dave The Diver, the CPU’s role is largely passive due to the GPU’s limitations. The measured frame rates show a consistent pattern of GPU-bound performance, where changing resolution has a dramatic impact on FPS while CPU load presumably remains constant. The fact that the 4K Ultra preset still manages to deliver 33 FPS, a playable minimum, suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU enough data to prevent a complete collapse in performance. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar frame rates across different resolutions, which is not the case.

The processor's position relative to its nearest rivals further contextualizes its performance. It is essentially tied with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, with a delta of 0%, and is 0.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D. This places it in a competitive tier for gaming CPUs, yet the overall combo rank in Dave The Diver is 2642nd out of 2867, a position that is directly attributable to the GPU. The data suggests that the CPU has significant untapped potential, and in a system with a more capable discrete graphics card, the Core Ultra 5 225 would likely deliver much higher frame rates in this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates provide a comprehensive view of the system's capabilities across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the system performs best, with the Low preset achieving 98 FPS average. The Medium preset delivers 82 FPS with a minimum of 70 FPS and a maximum of 94 FPS, indicating a stable experience. High settings reduce the average to 73 FPS, while the Ultra preset brings it down to 65 FPS. All 1080p configurations are playable, but the drop from Low to Ultra represents a 34% performance penalty.

At 2560x1440, the system begins to struggle. The Low preset maintains a respectable 74 FPS, but the Medium preset falls to 62 FPS (minimum 52 FPS, maximum 71 FPS). High settings yield 55 FPS, and Ultra drops to 49 FPS. This resolution is playable on Low and Medium, but High and Ultra presets hover near the edge of smooth gameplay, with the Ultra preset dipping below the 50 FPS threshold.

The 3840x2160 results are marginal at best. The Low preset manages 49 FPS, which is the only configuration to approach playability. Medium averages 41 FPS (minimum 35 FPS, maximum 47 FPS), High averages 37 FPS, and Ultra averages 33 FPS. The data shows a clear hierarchy: 1080p is the intended resolution for this combo, with 1440p viable on lower presets, and 4K only suitable for those who prioritize visual detail over frame rate. The min FPS values are only recorded for the Medium preset, but the available data suggests that frame pacing is consistent, given the tight range between minimum and maximum values at 1440p and 4K Medium.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and Intel Arc B370 combination ranks 2642nd out of 2867 tested combos in Dave The Diver, placing it in the bottom 8% of all systems. This rank is a direct consequence of the GPU’s performance, which sits in the 5th percentile of all GPUs based on its average benchmark score of 1184. The CPU, in contrast, is in the 85th percentile, creating a massive imbalance where the processor is far more capable than the graphics solution.

This disparity is reflected in the rival comparisons. The Arc B370’s nearest GPU rivals are all legacy parts from the early 2010s, such as the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and the ATI Radeon HD 5770, with score deltas of -0.2% and -0.5% respectively. This places the GPU on par with hardware that is over a decade old, explaining its poor showing in a modern game. The CPU’s rivals, on the other hand, are contemporary parts like the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F and Ryzen 5 5500X3D, which are capable modern processors.

The 2642nd rank means that the vast majority of systems in the database outperform this combo. For context, being in the 8th percentile implies that roughly 92% of tested configurations deliver higher frame rates in Dave The Diver. This is a clear indicator that the combo is severely underpowered for this title, and users should have low expectations for high-fidelity gaming. The data suggests that this pairing could be suitable for older or less demanding games, but for Dave The Diver, it is firmly at the bottom of the performance spectrum.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal experience is achieved at 1920x1080 with the Medium preset. This configuration delivers an average of 82 FPS with a minimum of 70 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay without significant frame drops. The Medium preset offers a 12% performance increase over High (82 FPS vs 73 FPS) while likely retaining most visual quality, making it the best balance of fidelity and speed. The Low preset is faster at 98 FPS, but the visual downgrade is substantial, and the Medium preset’s minimum frame rate of 70 FPS is already well above the 60 FPS target.

For users with 1440p monitors, the Medium preset is still the recommended choice, delivering 62 FPS with a minimum of 52 FPS. While the average is above 60 FPS, the minimum dips below, which could result in occasional stutter. The Low preset at 1440p provides a more consistent 74 FPS average, making it a safer choice for competitive play, but the Medium preset offers a better visual experience for those who can tolerate the slight frame rate variance.

High and Ultra presets are not recommended at any resolution due to the significant performance cost. At 1080p, Ultra averages 65 FPS, which is playable but represents a 20% drop from Medium without a proportional visual improvement. At 1440p, High and Ultra fall to 55 FPS and 49 FPS, respectively, which are below the ideal threshold for smooth action. At 4K, no preset achieves a consistent 50 FPS, so this resolution should be avoided entirely. The data clearly indicates that users should cap their expectations at 1080p Medium or 1440p Low/Medium to get the best experience from this hardware combination.