Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver is not a typical GPU stress test, but the measured data for the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 combination reveals clear performance scaling characteristics that are useful for system tuning. The benchmark results indicate a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, with the CPU showing its strengths primarily at 1080p. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data to provide practical advice on how this specific hardware pairing handles the game across its four quality presets.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a classic resolution scaling curve, where the performance cost of moving to higher pixel counts is significant but remains playable at every setting. At the Ultra preset, the average frame rate drops from 279 FPS at 1920x1080 to 210 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 141 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 24.7% performance hit when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 32.9% reduction when stepping up to 4K. The Ultra preset at 4K still delivers an average of 141 FPS, which is well above the refresh rate of most standard monitors, indicating that this hardware combination is not struggling at the highest resolution.

The scaling pattern shifts when examining the High preset. At 1080p, the system produces 316 FPS, which drops to 238 FPS at 1440p (a 24.7% decrease) and then to 159 FPS at 4K (a 33.2% decrease from 1440p). The consistency in these percentage drops between Ultra and High presets suggests that the game's rendering workload scales similarly across these two quality levels, with the GPU being the primary limiting factor. The data shows that the gap between 1080p and 1440p performance is nearly identical in relative terms for both presets, which points to a predictable scaling model.

At the Low preset, the performance ceiling becomes apparent. The average FPS at 1080p is 423, dropping to 318 FPS at 1440p and 213 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 24.8% and 33.0% respectively, which mirrors the scaling seen in the higher presets. This consistency across all settings indicates that the resolution scaling is largely independent of the quality preset, meaning the game engine applies a uniform pixel-count penalty regardless of the graphical load. The fact that even at 4K Low the system maintains 213 FPS suggests that the RTX 5080 has significant headroom in this title.

The Medium preset provides the most complete data, as it includes minimum and maximum FPS values alongside averages. At 1080p, the average is 354 FPS with a minimum of 301 FPS and maximum of 407 FPS. At 1440p, the average drops to 266 FPS with a minimum of 227 FPS and maximum of 306 FPS. At 4K, the average is 179 FPS with a minimum of 152 FPS and maximum of 205 FPS. These ranges show that the frame time consistency remains stable across resolutions, with the minimum FPS staying within 15-17% of the average at each resolution. This indicates that neither the CPU nor GPU is experiencing sudden performance cliffs, and the gameplay experience should be smooth even during demanding scenes.

The scaling data reveals that the limiting component shifts as resolution increases. At 1080p, the relatively small gap between Low (423 FPS) and Ultra (279 FPS) suggests that the CPU is beginning to constrain the system, as the GPU is capable of rendering frames faster than the processor can feed it. At 4K, the larger spread between Low (213 FPS) and Ultra (141 FPS) indicates that the GPU is now the dominant bottleneck, as the increased pixel count places more strain on the rendering pipeline. This is a typical pattern for high-end hardware, where the CPU's role diminishes as resolution increases.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 features 14 cores and 14 threads, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. This processor sits in the 90th percentile of all CPUs according to benchmark data, with an average benchmark score of 48995. In the context of Dave The Diver, the CPU's role is primarily to maintain high frame rates at lower resolutions where the GPU is not fully utilized. The measured data shows that at 1080p Low, the system achieves 423 FPS, which approaches the practical limits of what most displays can show, and this is where the CPU's single-thread performance becomes relevant.

The processor's benchmark scores indicate strong single-threaded capability, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4648 and a PassMark single-thread score of 4394. These scores are relevant because Dave The Diver, as an adventure game, likely relies on a single primary game thread for simulation logic. The boost clock of 5.10 GHz provides the raw speed needed to keep the game logic running ahead of the rendering pipeline at high frame rates. The data shows that at 1080p, the system's frame rates are high enough that the CPU's processing speed directly impacts the achievable FPS.

The Core Ultra 5 245's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, which has an average score of 49228 and is 0.5% faster, and the Intel Core i5-14600K, which has an average score of 48618 and is 0.8% slower. These close margins indicate that the CPU is competitively positioned for gaming workloads, though the differences are minimal in real-world scenarios. The PassMark multithread score of 38706 shows that the CPU also handles multi-threaded tasks well, but in Dave The Diver, the single-thread performance is more critical for maintaining high frame rates at lower resolutions.

The 14 threads are sufficient for modern games, and the data suggests that the CPU does not become a bottleneck until frame rates exceed 400 FPS at 1080p. The fact that the system reaches 423 FPS at 1080p Low indicates that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at this level, but the scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a 34% performance drop, which is less than the GPU-bound scaling seen at 4K. This suggests that at 1080p, the game's CPU overhead is still within the processor's capabilities, but the GPU's performance is the primary factor in determining final frame rates.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is the dominant component in this pairing, with 16 GB of GDDR7 memory, a 256-bit bus, and 960.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The GPU's 10752 shading units and boost clock of 2617 MHz provide substantial raw compute power, and the benchmark data shows a PassMark G3D score of 36565, placing it in the 87th percentile of all GPUs. The GPU's average benchmark score of 56083 puts it slightly ahead of the AMD Radeon 8060S (0.6% faster) and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB (0.7% faster), while trailing the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE by 2.2%.

In Dave The Diver, the GPU's role scales with resolution and settings. The memory bandwidth of 960.0 GB/s is more than sufficient for the game's textures and geometry at 4K, as evidenced by the 141 FPS average at Ultra settings. The 16 GB of VRAM provides ample capacity for the game's assets, and the measured data shows no signs of memory-related performance drops, as the minimum FPS values remain consistent with the averages. The GPU's performance at 4K Ultra (141 FPS) represents a 49.5% reduction from 1080p Ultra (279 FPS), which aligns with the expected pixel count increase.

The GPU's compute capabilities are also relevant for the game's physics and any post-processing effects. The FP32 performance of 56.28 TFLOPS ensures that the GPU can handle these tasks without becoming a bottleneck. The measured data shows that the GPU scales well with settings changes: at 4K, moving from Low to Ultra costs 72 FPS (from 213 to 141), which is a 33.8% reduction. This scaling is consistent with the GPU being the primary limiting factor at 4K, as the CPU's role diminishes at higher resolutions.

The RTX 5080's position relative to its rivals is worth noting. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE is 2.2% faster on average, which would translate to a few additional frames per second in practice. However, the RTX 5080's performance in Dave The Diver is already so high that this difference is unlikely to be perceptible. The GPU's 87th percentile ranking means it outperforms the vast majority of graphics cards on the market, and this is reflected in the frame rates achieved in this game.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on which preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. At 4K, the Medium preset delivers an average of 179 FPS with a minimum of 152 FPS, which provides a comfortable margin above the 144 Hz refresh rate commonly found in high-end monitors. The High preset at 4K offers 159 FPS average, which is still playable but leaves less headroom for demanding scenes. The Ultra preset at 4K drops to 141 FPS, which is still smooth but represents a 21.2% reduction from Medium.

For players with 1440p displays, the Ultra preset is the recommended choice. The measured average of 210 FPS provides ample performance for even the fastest gaming monitors, and the minimum FPS is not reported but the average suggests no issues. The High preset at 1440p offers 238 FPS, which is beneficial for 240 Hz displays, but the visual improvements from Ultra may be worth the 28 FPS reduction for most users. The data shows that at 1440p, even the most demanding preset remains well above the refresh rate of typical gaming monitors.

At 1080p, the Ultra preset is the clear choice, as the 279 FPS average exceeds the capabilities of all but the most extreme gaming displays. The High preset at 1080p offers 316 FPS, which is only a 13.3% improvement over Ultra, and the visual quality difference is likely minimal in this game. The Low preset at 1080p achieves 423 FPS, but this is only relevant for competitive play or for users with displays that support extremely high refresh rates, as the visual quality trade-off is significant.

The Medium preset appears to be the sweet spot for the RTX 5080 at all resolutions. At 4K, it offers a 12.6% performance improvement over High while providing most of the visual benefits, and at 1440p it delivers 266 FPS, which is suitable for any display. The minimum FPS data for Medium shows that the frame pacing is consistent, with the minimum staying within 15-17% of the average across all resolutions. This makes Medium the recommended preset for users who prioritize smooth gameplay over maximum visual fidelity.

FAQ

Q: Can the RTX 5080 handle Dave The Diver at 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra is 141 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS standard and even exceeds the 120 FPS threshold for high-refresh-rate 4K displays.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 a bottleneck for the RTX 5080 in this game?

A: At 1080p, the CPU may limit frame rates, as the maximum measured FPS is 423 at Low settings. However, at 1440p and 4K, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck, with the CPU providing sufficient performance to feed the GPU.

Q: What is the best preset for a 240 Hz 1440p monitor?

A: The Ultra preset delivers 210 FPS at 2560x1440, which is below 240 Hz. The High preset at 238 FPS is closer to the target, but the Medium preset at 266 FPS exceeds it, making Medium the only preset that fully saturates a 240 Hz display at this resolution.

Q: How does the RTX 5080 compare to its nearest rivals in this game?

A: The RTX 5080 has an average benchmark score of 56083, which is 0.6% higher than the AMD Radeon 8060S and 0.7% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE is 2.2% faster on average.

Q: Does the RTX 5080's 16 GB VRAM cause any issues at 4K?

A: No. The measured performance at 3840x2160 shows consistent frame rates across all presets, with no evidence of VRAM-related stuttering or performance drops. The 16 GB capacity is sufficient for this game's assets.

Q: What is the frame time consistency like at different resolutions?

A: The Medium preset data shows minimum FPS values of 301, 227, and 152 at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K respectively. These minimums stay within 15-17% of the average frame rates, indicating smooth and consistent performance across all resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data for Dave The Diver with the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 combination is as follows:

1920x1080:

• Low: 423 FPS average
• Medium: 354 FPS average, 301 FPS minimum, 407 FPS maximum
• High: 316 FPS average
• Ultra: 279 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low: 318 FPS average
• Medium: 266 FPS average, 227 FPS minimum, 306 FPS maximum
• High: 238 FPS average
• Ultra: 210 FPS average

3840x2160:

• Low: 213 FPS average
• Medium: 179 FPS average, 152 FPS minimum, 205 FPS maximum
• High: 159 FPS average
• Ultra: 141 FPS average

This data shows that the system maintains playable frame rates at every resolution and setting combination, with the lowest measured average being 141 FPS at 4K Ultra. The performance scaling from Low to Ultra at each resolution is consistent, with the gap between presets narrowing as resolution increases. The system ranks 146th out of 2867 tested combinations in this game, placing it in the top 5% of all hardware configurations. The minimum FPS data for Medium settings shows that the frame pacing is stable, with no sudden drops that would indicate a bottleneck or optimization issue.