Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver presents an interesting case for hardware analysis because its stylized 2D/3D hybrid art style places unique demands on a system. When paired with the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, the measured data reveals a configuration that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, yet shows signs of CPU limitation at the lowest settings. This analysis examines the recorded FPS metrics to understand the scaling behavior, the combo's standing among other tested configurations, and the specific roles each component plays in delivering these frame rates.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a classic resolution scaling curve, but with some notable nuances specific to this game. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 408 FPS. This is an extraordinarily high frame rate that indicates the game's rendering engine is not heavily taxing the GPU at this resolution and preset. Moving to 2560x1440 at Low settings, the average drops to 307 FPS, which represents a 24.8% decrease from the 1080p figure. At 3840x2160 with Low settings, the average falls to 206 FPS, a 32.9% drop from the 1440p result. This scaling pattern—where the percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is smaller than from 1440p to 4K—suggests that the GPU is beginning to approach its pixel throughput limits as resolution increases.

The High settings preset tells a slightly different story. At 1080p High, the average is 305 FPS, which is a 25.2% reduction compared to Low at the same resolution. At 1440p High, the average sits at 230 FPS, a 24.6% drop from 1080p High. At 4K High, the average is 154 FPS, representing a 33.0% decrease from 1440p High. The consistency of the resolution scaling at High settings, with roughly 25% drops between 1080p and 1440p, indicates that the game scales predictably with pixel count. The larger drop to 4K suggests that the RTX 4080's 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and 256-bit memory bus are being utilized more heavily, but the card still maintains a highly playable 154 FPS average.

The Ultra preset reveals the most demanding configuration measured. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 269, which is 34.1% lower than Low at the same resolution. At 1440p Ultra, the average is 203 FPS, a 24.5% drop from 1080p Ultra. At 4K Ultra, the average is 136 FPS, a 33.0% reduction from 1440p Ultra. The fact that the 4K Ultra result maintains a 136 FPS average indicates that the RTX 4080, with its boost clock of 2505 MHz and 9728 shading units, is still able to handle the most intensive settings without dropping below the 60 FPS threshold commonly considered the baseline for smooth gameplay.

The limiting component shifts depending on the resolution and settings combination. At 1080p Low, the 408 FPS average suggests that the CPU, with its 14 cores and 14 threads running at a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, is likely the limiting factor, as the GPU is not being fully utilized at such a low graphical workload. This is supported by the fact that the CPU's PassMark single-thread score of 4394 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4648 indicate strong per-core performance, which is essential for high-FPS scenarios. At 4K Ultra, the 136 FPS average points to the GPU being the primary bottleneck, as the pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth become the deciding factors.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Dave The Diver, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 achieves a combo rank of 215 out of 3710 tested configurations. This places the combo in the top 5.8% of all tested systems, a strong showing that reflects the high-end nature of both components. The rank is determined by the measured FPS data across all resolution and settings combinations, and the consistent performance at all four presets contributes to this favorable position.

The CPU's individual percentile ranking is 90, meaning it outperforms 90% of all CPUs in the database when considering its average benchmark score of 48995. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G with an average score of 49196 (0.4% higher), the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 with a score of 49228 (0.5% higher), the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H with a score of 48698 (0.6% lower), and the Intel Core i5-14600K with a score of 48618 (0.8% lower). These small delta percentages indicate that the Core Ultra 5 245 sits in a highly competitive performance tier, with only sub-1% differences separating it from its closest competitors.

The GPU's percentile ranking is 86, with an average benchmark score of 54247. Its nearest rivals show the RTX 4080 SUPER with a score of 54209 (0.1% higher), the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X with a score of 54828 (1.1% higher), the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB with a score of 55698 (2.6% higher), and the AMD Radeon 8060S with a score of 55757 (2.7% higher). The fact that several rivals score slightly higher in synthetic benchmarks, yet the combo still achieves a top-6% rank in this game, suggests that Dave The Diver's specific workload favors the architecture of this pairing. The game's relatively simple geometry and focus on 2D sprites over 3D rendering may not fully stress the GPU's ray tracing or tensor cores, allowing the raw rasterization performance to shine.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in Dave The Diver?

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

Q: Does the combo maintain playable frame rates at 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes, at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the combo achieves an average of 136 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-14600K?

A: The Core Ultra 5 245 has an average benchmark score of 48995, which is 0.8% higher than the Core i5-14600K's score of 48618.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings produce an average of 307 FPS, while Ultra settings produce 203 FPS, representing a 104 FPS difference.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU more likely to be the bottleneck at 1080p Low settings?

A: The data suggests the CPU is the limiting factor at 1080p Low, as the 408 FPS average indicates the GPU is not fully utilized at such a low graphical workload.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested configurations in this game?

A: The combo ranks 215th out of 3710 tested combinations, placing it in the top 5.8% of all systems tested.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 408 FPS, with no minimum or maximum values recorded. The Medium preset at 1080p produces an average of 342 FPS, with a minimum of 290 FPS and a maximum of 393 FPS. The High preset at 1080p achieves an average of 305 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1080p delivers an average of 269 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra at 1080p is 139 FPS, indicating that the settings presets have a significant impact on performance even at this lower resolution.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset delivers an average of 307 FPS. The Medium preset produces 257 FPS, with a minimum of 219 FPS and a maximum of 296 FPS. The High preset achieves 230 FPS. The Ultra preset delivers 203 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 104 FPS, a narrower spread than at 1080p, which suggests the GPU is becoming a more significant factor as resolution increases. The Medium preset's minimum of 219 FPS and maximum of 296 FPS show a 77 FPS variance, indicating some frame time inconsistency that could be perceptible on high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset delivers an average of 206 FPS. The Medium preset produces 172 FPS, with a minimum of 146 FPS and a maximum of 198 FPS. The High preset achieves 154 FPS. The Ultra preset delivers 136 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 70 FPS, the narrowest spread across all resolutions. This confirms that at 4K, the GPU's capabilities are being fully taxed, and the settings presets have a smaller relative impact on the final frame rate. The Medium preset at 4K shows a minimum of 146 FPS and a maximum of 198 FPS, a 52 FPS variance, which is more consistent than at lower resolutions.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, manufactured on a 3 nm process by TSMC. Its base clock of 3.50 GHz and boost clock of 5.10 GHz provide substantial single-thread performance, which is crucial for games like Dave The Diver that may rely on a primary game thread for logic and physics. The CPU's Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4648 and multi-core score of 32924 demonstrate balanced performance that handles both lightly-threaded and heavily-threaded workloads effectively.

In Dave The Diver, the CPU's role appears most critical at lower resolutions and settings, where the GPU has spare capacity. At 1080p Low, the 408 FPS average suggests that the CPU is pushing the game logic and draw calls as fast as possible, and the GPU is keeping up without becoming a bottleneck. The PassMark single-thread score of 4394 and the multi-thread score of 38706 indicate that the processor can maintain high frame rates without stuttering, even when the game's internal simulation runs at high speed. The L3 cache of 24 MB shared across the 14 cores provides adequate data locality for the game's assets, while the 102.4 GB/s memory bandwidth supports fast access to textures and game state.

The CPU's performance relative to its rivals reinforces its capability in this title. With a 0.8% advantage over the Intel Core i5-14600K in average benchmark score, the Core Ultra 5 245 provides comparable gaming performance, but its lower 65W TDP may make it a more efficient choice for sustained gaming sessions. The 90th percentile ranking among all CPUs further validates that this processor is in the upper tier for handling games like Dave The Diver, where high frame rates at lower resolutions can be limited by CPU speed rather than GPU throughput.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on the user's display refresh rate and resolution preference. For users with a 1080p display operating at 144 Hz or 165 Hz, the High preset at 305 FPS is more than sufficient, providing a comfortable margin above the refresh rate. The Ultra preset at 269 FPS also offers excellent performance, and the visual fidelity improvements may be worth the 36 FPS reduction for users who prioritize image quality over maximum frame rates.

At 1440p, the High preset at 230 FPS is ideal for high-refresh-rate displays up to 240 Hz. The Ultra preset at 203 FPS still provides an excellent experience for 144 Hz monitors, and the visual upgrades are likely to be noticeable in Dave The Diver's detailed underwater environments. The Medium preset at 257 FPS offers a middle ground, but the minimum FPS of 219 indicates that frame times can fluctuate, making the more stable High preset a safer choice for competitive play.

At 4K, the Ultra preset at 136 FPS is the recommended choice for users with high-refresh-rate 4K displays. The 136 FPS average is well above the 60 FPS standard, and the Ultra preset provides the best visual experience without sacrificing playability. The High preset at 154 FPS offers a 13.2% increase in frame rate over Ultra, which may be preferable for users with 144 Hz 4K monitors who want a larger buffer for demanding scenes. The Low preset at 206 FPS is not recommended for 4K, as the visual degradation from the lowest settings is unlikely to justify the frame rate increase, given that even Ultra maintains a playable 136 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is a high-end graphics card based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, built on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It features 9728 shading units, 304 texture mapping units, and 112 raster operation units, with 76 ray tracing cores and 304 tensor cores. The card's boost clock of 2505 MHz and base clock of 2205 MHz, combined with 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, deliver a memory bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s. This substantial bandwidth is crucial for Dave The Diver at 4K resolutions, where texture sampling and pixel fill rates become the primary limiting factors.

In Dave The Diver, the GPU's performance is most evident at higher resolutions. At 4K Ultra, the 136 FPS average demonstrates that the RTX 4080 can handle the game's most demanding settings without breaking a sweat. The card's pixel rate of 280.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 761.5 GTexel/s provide ample throughput for the game's stylized 2D sprites and 3D environments. The 48.74 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power ensures that any post-processing effects or shader calculations are handled efficiently, even at 4K resolution.

The GPU's percentile ranking of 86 and average benchmark score of 54247 place it in the upper tier of graphics cards. Its nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, scores only 0.1% higher, indicating that the standard 4080 is essentially equivalent in raw performance. The 16 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for Dave The Diver, as the game's asset sizes do not require the card to resort to memory compression or paging, even at 4K Ultra settings. The card's 320W TDP and triple-slot design indicate that it requires substantial cooling, but the measured FPS data shows that it delivers the expected high-end performance in this title.