Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver on the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 with the Intel Arc B390 presents a clear performance ceiling defined by the graphics processor. Across all tested resolutions, the data shows a steady decline in frame rates as pixel count increases, a pattern that points directly at the integrated GPU as the primary bottleneck. The combination ranks in the 11th percentile of tested configurations, indicating a build that prioritizes the CPU’s substantial processing power over graphical headroom.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a consistent and predictable scaling pattern from 1080p to 4K. At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the combo delivers 72 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same preset drops performance to 54 FPS, a 25% reduction. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset yields just 36 FPS, which is exactly half the 1080p score. This steep decline is characteristic of a system where the GPU is the limiting factor; as resolution increases, the demand on the rendering hardware escalates faster than the CPU’s ability to compensate.

The scaling behavior is consistent across all settings presets. For High settings, the drop from 81 FPS at 1080p to 61 FPS at 1440p and then to 41 FPS at 4K shows a nearly linear relationship with pixel count. The Medium preset follows the same trajectory, moving from 91 FPS at 1080p to 68 FPS at 1440p and 46 FPS at 4K. Low settings provide the highest absolute numbers, with 108 FPS at 1080p, 82 FPS at 1440p, and 55 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K remains remarkably consistent across presets, ranging from 49% to 51%, which further confirms that resolution scaling is the dominant variable affecting performance.

This data indicates that the CPU, with its 14 cores and 14 threads, is not the limiting component in this game. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 demonstrates high single-thread capability with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4648, which is more than sufficient for Dave The Diver’s gameplay logic. The bottleneck is the Intel Arc B390’s rendering throughput. The GPU’s 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals are legacy mobile parts like the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 and GT 625 OEM. The gap between the CPU’s 90th percentile ranking and the GPU’s 9th percentile ranking is the defining characteristic of this configuration.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel’s 3 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. The memory configuration is entirely system-dependent, using shared system memory rather than dedicated VRAM. The bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which means performance can vary based on the system’s DDR5 memory configuration. The CPU supports dual-channel DDR5 with a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, which is the theoretical ceiling for this shared memory setup.

The GPU’s compute resources are modest: 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output units. It also includes 12 ray tracing cores, though Dave The Diver does not appear to stress this feature heavily based on the measured results. The peak pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s. These specifications translate to a raw FP32 performance of 7.680 TFLOPS. For context, this is a capable integrated solution for light gaming, but it is far from the performance of discrete graphics cards.

The TDP of the GPU is 80 W, and it is classified as an IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor) with no power connectors and a slot width of IGP. This means it shares thermal and power resources with the CPU. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 has a TDP of 65 W, so the combined thermal envelope is manageable for a desktop system. However, the shared power and thermal budget can lead to throttling under sustained load, which may explain why the 4K Ultra preset dips to 36 FPS.

The VRAM situation is critical for high-resolution gaming. With system-shared memory, the GPU must compete with the CPU for bandwidth. At 4K resolution, the demand for texture data increases substantially, and the shared memory architecture becomes a limiting factor. The measured data supports this: the gap between Low and Ultra settings at 4K is 19 FPS (55 vs. 36), whereas at 1080p the gap is 36 FPS (108 vs. 72). This compression of the settings range at higher resolutions indicates that memory bandwidth saturation is occurring, reducing the benefit of higher graphical fidelity.

FAQ

Q: Why does the frame rate drop so significantly from 1080p to 4K?

A: The average FPS falls by approximately 50% across all settings presets when moving from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. This is due to the Intel Arc B390’s shared memory architecture and limited compute resources, which become the primary bottleneck as pixel count increases.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 holding back performance in this game?

A: No. The CPU scores in the 90th percentile of all processors, with a strong single-thread score of 4648 in Cinebench R23. The GPU, in contrast, ranks in the 9th percentile, indicating that the graphics processor is the limiting component.

Q: What is the best resolution to play Dave The Diver with this combo?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where all settings presets achieve playable frame rates above 70 FPS. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset drops to 54 FPS, and at 3840x2160, even Low settings only reach 55 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GPU scores 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, which is 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and 2.7% ahead of the GeForce GT 710. These are all entry-level or legacy parts, confirming the B390’s low-end positioning.

Q: Does the game benefit from the CPU’s multi-core performance?

A: Dave The Diver is not a heavily threaded game based on the scaling data. The CPU’s multi-core score of 32924 in Cinebench R23 is high, but the consistent frame rates across resolutions suggest that single-thread performance and GPU throughput matter more.

Q: What is the expected performance at 4K with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS is 41 at 3840x2160 with High settings. This is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, indicating that 4K is only viable at Low settings (55 FPS) for a playable experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across all common resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the combo achieves its best results. Low settings produce an average of 108 FPS, Medium yields 91 FPS with a minimum of 77 and maximum of 104, High gives 81 FPS, and Ultra provides 72 FPS. All 1080p presets are comfortably above 60 FPS, making this the resolution where the system performs adequately.

At 2560x1440, performance begins to strain. Low settings average 82 FPS, Medium delivers 68 FPS with a range of 58 to 78, High drops to 61 FPS, and Ultra falls to 54 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p provides the best balance of visual quality and playability, with an average that stays above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset at this resolution is the first instance where the average dips below 60 FPS, signaling the GPU’s limitations.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles across the board. Low settings average 55 FPS, Medium averages 46 FPS with a minimum of 39 and maximum of 53, High averages 41 FPS, and Ultra averages 36 FPS. None of the 4K presets achieve a consistent 60 FPS, and even the Low preset’s 55 FPS average is marginal for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 4K shows a notable variance between its 39 FPS minimum and 53 FPS maximum, indicating frame time inconsistency during demanding scenes.

The data reveals that Dave The Diver is playable at 1080p and 1440p with appropriate settings, but 4K should be avoided unless the user prioritizes visual fidelity over frame rate. The step from 1080p to 1440p costs roughly 22-25% of the average FPS across all presets, while the step from 1440p to 4K costs an additional 33-40%. This non-linear scaling underscores the GPU’s inability to handle the pixel throughput required at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and Intel Arc B390 combination ranks 2538 out of 2867 tested combos in Dave The Diver. This places it in the bottom 11.5% of configurations, which is consistent with the GPU’s low percentile ranking. The rank is driven almost entirely by the graphics processor; the CPU’s average benchmark score of 48995 places it near the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (deltaPct of -0.5%) and slightly ahead of the Intel Core i5-14600K (deltaPct of 0.8%).

The CPU’s nearest rivals in terms of average score include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G at 49196 (0.4% higher) and the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H at 48698 (0.6% lower). These small deltas confirm that the Core Ultra 5 245 is a mid-to-high tier processor, but its potential is wasted when paired with the Arc B390. The GPU’s nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX at 1463 (1.3% lower), GeForce 800M at 1460 (1.5% lower), GT 625 OEM at 1446 (2.5% lower), and GT 710 at 1443 (2.7% lower). These are all legacy or ultra-low-end parts, emphasizing the B390’s position as an entry-level integrated solution.

The disparity between the CPU’s 90th percentile ranking and the GPU’s 9th percentile ranking is extreme. This combo is effectively a high-end processor paired with a minimal graphics solution. In Dave The Diver, this translates to a system that can handle the game’s logic and physics without issue but cannot render the visuals at high resolutions or settings. The combo rank of 2538 out of 2867 is a direct reflection of this imbalance, placing it below the vast majority of tested configurations that likely use discrete graphics cards.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo is at 1920x1080 with High settings, yielding 81 FPS. This provides a smooth frame rate while maintaining a reasonable level of visual quality. The Ultra preset at 1080p offers 72 FPS, which is still playable but represents a 11% performance drop for what is likely a marginal visual improvement in a game like Dave The Diver. The Medium preset at 1080p, with an average of 91 FPS, is the best choice for users who prioritize frame rate stability, as it offers a 12% boost over High settings.

At 2560x1440, the recommended preset is Medium, which averages 68 FPS. This is the only 1440p setting that consistently exceeds 60 FPS, with a minimum of 58 FPS that is acceptable for most players. High settings at 1440p drop to 61 FPS, which is borderline, and Ultra falls to 54 FPS, which is below the smoothness threshold. For users with 1440p displays, Medium is the clear winner, balancing visual fidelity with playable performance.

At 3840x2160, the data suggests that this resolution is not viable for a satisfying experience. Low settings average 55 FPS, which is close to playable but will suffer from frame drops in busy scenes. Medium settings average 46 FPS with a minimum of 39 FPS, which is too inconsistent for a smooth experience. High and Ultra settings at 4K are not recommended, as they fall to 41 and 36 FPS respectively. If a user must play at 4K, Low settings are the only option that approaches playability, but the experience will be compromised.

The overall recommendation is to play at 1080p with High or Ultra settings for the best balance of performance and visuals. For 1440p users, Medium settings are the maximum viable option. The data clearly shows that this combo is not suited for 4K gaming, and users should adjust their expectations accordingly. The CPU’s power is largely untapped in this configuration, but the GPU’s limitations define the playable envelope.