Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver, a 2023 adventure title, presents a surprisingly demanding workload for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and Intel Arc B570 combination. The measured data reveals a combo that is firmly capable of delivering smooth gameplay, but its performance ceiling is closely tied to resolution and settings, with a clear trend of diminishing returns as graphical fidelity increases. This pairing lands in the lower percentile of tested configurations, ranking 2282 out of 2867 combos, which places it in the 20th percentile of overall performance, but the frame rates it achieves on this specific title are more than adequate for a smooth experience at most settings.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows how the Intel Arc B570’s workload scales as resolution increases, moving from the pixel-light 1080p to the demanding 4K. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers high frame rates, but the scaling pattern suggests the CPU still has headroom, and the GPU is the primary limiter. Moving from 1080p to 1440p, the average frame rate at High settings drops from 124 FPS to 94 FPS, a 24% reduction. This is a significant drop, indicating that the GPU is being pushed harder as the pixel count increases, but the system remains well within the territory of high refresh rate gaming.

The most substantial scaling leap occurs when moving from 1440p to 4K. At High settings, the average FPS plummets from 94 to 63, a 33% decrease. This dramatic drop highlights that at 4K, the Intel Arc B570 is the definitive bottleneck, as the rendering load becomes too heavy for the GPU to maintain the high frame rates seen at lower resolutions. The gap between 1440p and 4K is much larger than the gap between 1080p and 1440p, which indicates that the GPU's performance curve is not linear and that it struggles disproportionately with the 4K resolution.

This scaling behavior is typical for a mid-range GPU like the Arc B570. At 1080p, the system is capable of producing very high frame rates, with the Ultra preset still hitting 110 FPS. At 1440p, it still provides an excellent experience, with the Ultra preset at 83 FPS. However, at 4K, the system begins to show its limits, with the Ultra preset dropping to 55 FPS and the High preset only mustering 63 FPS. The data suggests that 4K is a viable, but not optimal, resolution for this combo, as it requires dropping to Medium settings to consistently stay above the 60 FPS threshold.

The frame time consistency, where measured, follows a similar trend. At 4K Medium, the minimum FPS is 60, which is a solid result, but the maximum is 81, showing a 21 FPS variance. At 1440p Medium, the variance is 32 FPS (89 to 121), and at 1080p Medium, it is 42 FPS (118 to 160). This suggests that at lower resolutions, the frame rate is less consistent because the GPU can render frames faster, but the CPU might occasionally cause a hiccup. At 4K, the GPU is so heavily loaded that it smooths out the frame delivery, but at the cost of overall performance. The data indicates that for the best balance of high frame rates and consistency, 1440p is the sweet spot for this combination, while 4K is best reserved for games with lower graphical demands.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear hierarchy of settings for this game, with each preset offering a distinct trade-off between visual quality and performance. The most optimal experience for this combo is achieved at 1440p with the High preset, which delivers an average of 94 FPS. This provides a significant performance cushion over the 60 FPS target, allowing for smooth gameplay with high visual fidelity. The Medium preset at 1440p is also a strong contender, offering 105 FPS, but the jump to High provides a better visual experience for only a 11 FPS cost, making it the better value in terms of performance per visual gain.

For users with 1080p displays, the High preset is the clear recommendation, delivering an average of 124 FPS. This is well above the threshold for high refresh rate monitors and provides a great visual experience. The Ultra preset at 1080p is also viable, at 110 FPS, but the diminishing returns in visual quality from High to Ultra are not worth the 14 FPS performance drop. The Low preset is unnecessary at this resolution, as it pushes the frame rate to 167 FPS, which is likely beyond the refresh rate of most monitors and does not offer a compelling visual experience.

At 4K, the recommendations become more constrained. The Ultra preset is not recommended, as its 55 FPS average dips below the standard 60 FPS target. The High preset, at 63 FPS, is the optimal choice for a 60Hz display, as it maintains a playable frame rate while providing a high level of visual detail. The Medium preset, at 70 FPS, is a safer option for those who want more headroom, but the visual difference between Medium and High is often more noticeable than the difference between High and Ultra. The data suggests that for 4K, High settings are the best overall choice, as it provides a stable, playable experience without overly compromising the game's visual presentation. The Low preset at 4K (84 FPS) is not recommended, as it defeats the purpose of rendering at such a high resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and Intel Arc B570 combination is ranked 2282 out of 2867 tested combos in Dave The Diver. This places it in the bottom 20% of all configurations tested, which might seem alarming at first. However, this rank is a measure of raw performance relative to all other combos, many of which feature significantly more expensive and powerful hardware. This rank does not reflect the actual playability of the game, which the measured FPS shows to be quite good.

The CPU itself, the Intel Core Ultra 5 225, has an average benchmark score of 36938, which places it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, which scores 36945 (a 0% delta), and the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D, which scores 37018 (a -0.2% delta). This indicates that the CPU is a solid performer, but its overall rank is dragged down by the GPU. The GPU, the Intel Arc B570, has an average benchmark score of 20556, which places it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, which scores 20534 (a 0.1% delta), and the Intel Arc A750, which scores 20582 (a -0.1% delta).

This data suggests that the combo's low rank is more a reflection of the GPU's position in the market than a problem with the pairing itself. The CPU is a strong performer, but the GPU is a more mid-range part. In a game like Dave The Diver, which is not heavily CPU-bound, the GPU is the primary determinant of frame rate. Therefore, while the combo ranks low overall, it is actually a well-balanced pairing for this specific game, as the CPU does not bottleneck the GPU at the resolutions and settings where the GPU is most comfortable. The low rank is a consequence of being compared to systems with high-end GPUs, not a sign of poor in-game performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is a detailed breakdown of the measured average frame rates, with the minimum and maximum frame rates provided where available.

1920x1080:

• Low: Average 167 FPS.
• Medium: Average 139 FPS, with a minimum of 118 FPS and a maximum of 160 FPS.
• High: Average 124 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 110 FPS.

2560x1440:

• Low: Average 125 FPS.
• Medium: Average 105 FPS, with a minimum of 89 FPS and a maximum of 121 FPS.
• High: Average 94 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 83 FPS.

3840x2160:

• Low: Average 84 FPS.
• Medium: Average 70 FPS, with a minimum of 60 FPS and a maximum of 81 FPS.
• High: Average 63 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 55 FPS.

These numbers show a clear and logical progression. As resolution and quality settings increase, the average frame rate decreases. The system is most comfortable at 1080p, where even the Ultra preset stays above 100 FPS. At 1440p, the system remains very capable, with all presets except Ultra staying above 90 FPS. At 4K, the system is playable, but only at High or lower settings to maintain a stable 60 FPS. The data confirms that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K being a secondary option for less demanding titles.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Dave The Diver at 4K with a stable 60 FPS?

A: Yes, but only with the right settings. The Medium preset at 3840x2160 achieves an average of 70 FPS, with a minimum of 60 FPS. The High preset is also viable, with an average of 63 FPS, but it does not have a measured minimum frame rate to confirm stability.

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for a smooth experience?

A: The data indicates that 2560x1440 with the High preset is the sweet spot, delivering an average of 94 FPS. This provides a high level of visual detail and a frame rate well above the 60 FPS target, offering a comfortable margin for demanding scenes.

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested systems?

A: The combination ranks 2282 out of 2867 tested combos in this game. While this is in the lower percentile of overall performance, it is important to note that the actual measured frame rates are very good, indicating that the rank is due to the presence of many higher-end components in the database.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The benchmark data suggests the GPU is the primary limiting factor. The scaling from 1440p to 4K shows a very large performance drop (from 94 FPS to 63 FPS at High settings), which is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU has a high benchmark score and is not likely to limit performance in this title.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: The difference is substantial. At 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves an average of 125 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves an average of 83 FPS. This is a 42 FPS difference, or about a 34% reduction in performance for the highest visual quality.

Q: Does the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 perform well compared to its direct rivals?

A: Yes. The CPU has an average benchmark score of 36938, which is nearly identical to its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, which scores 36945. It is also ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D, which scores 37018, by a negligible 0.2% margin.

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. It has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. It features 20 MB of shared L3 cache and supports DDR5 memory. Its benchmark scores are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25891 and a single-core score of 3655. These results place the CPU in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is a high-performing part.

In Dave The Diver, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with data and handle game logic. The game is not heavily threaded, so the 10 cores and 10 threads are more than sufficient. The high single-core performance, evidenced by the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3655, ensures that the game's main simulation thread runs efficiently. However, the data from the resolution scaling suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck at any tested setting. The frame rate drops are consistent with GPU limitations, not CPU ones.

The CPU's performance relative to its rivals is very tight. Its average benchmark score of 36938 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (36945) and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (37093), and it is only 0.5% behind the Intel Core i9-12900T (37112). This indicates that in CPU-bound scenarios, this processor will perform similarly to these alternatives. However, in this game, the GPU is the deciding factor, and the Arc B570's performance characteristics are what determine the final frame rates. The CPU provides a solid foundation, but the measured FPS is a direct result of the GPU's rendering capabilities.