Dave The Diver

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 pairs with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 to deliver a remarkably fluid experience in Dave The Diver. Benchmark results at every tested resolution and preset remain far above the 60 FPS threshold, with the weakest recorded average being 106 FPS at 4K Ultra. This is a combination that consistently leverages the game’s relatively modest demands, producing frame rates that rival high-refresh-rate monitor capabilities even at maximum settings.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is built on the Arrow Lake architecture and manufactured on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It features 20 cores and 20 threads, a combination that provides substantial parallel processing headroom. Its base clock runs at 2.40 GHz, while the boost clock reaches 5.30 GHz, allowing for rapid single-thread responsiveness when needed. The processor includes 30 MB of shared L3 cache and a dual-channel DDR5 memory interface with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s.

In the context of Dave The Diver, the CPU’s role is largely about maintaining a stable floor for frame pacing. The game is not a demanding multi-threaded workload; it is an adventure title that relies more on consistent logic updates than heavy physics simulation. The Core Ultra 7 265’s high boost clock ensures that any single-threaded game logic is executed with minimal latency. The 20-core configuration means that background system tasks are unlikely to interfere with the game’s primary thread, as there is ample core availability to handle OS overhead and other applications.

Synthetic benchmarks reinforce the processor's capability. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42,216 points and a single-core score of 5,960 points indicate a well-rounded performer that excels in both bursty single-threaded tasks and sustained multi-threaded loads. PassMark’s single-thread test yields 4,689 points, while the multithread test produces 49,682 points. These figures suggest that the CPU is not a bottleneck in this pairing; it can feed the GPU with draw calls and game state data faster than the graphics card needs them. The processor ranks in the 93rd percentile against all CPUs, placing it firmly in the high-end tier. Its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 4464P, scores 0.3% higher on average, a negligible difference that would not manifest in gameplay. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265F, a near-identical sibling, is 0.3% slower, confirming that the standard 265 model sits at the top of its immediate performance cluster.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 uses the AD104 chip based on the Ada Lovelace architecture and is fabricated on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It houses 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. The GPU’s base clock is 1920 MHz, which boosts up to 2475 MHz. With 5,888 shading units and 64 ROPs, the card is designed for high-throughput rasterization, and its 46 RT cores provide ray tracing acceleration.

For Dave The Diver, the RTX 4070’s specifications are more than sufficient. The game’s visual style is stylized and does not rely on heavy texture streaming or complex geometry. The 12 GB VRAM capacity is ample for the asset sizes used at 4K resolution, preventing any memory-related stuttering. The high memory bandwidth ensures that texture data is fed to the shading units without delay, which is crucial for maintaining the high average frame rates observed in the data.

The GPU’s PassMark G3D score of 26,927 points and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 174,152 points demonstrate its raw compute power. However, in this specific title, the GPU is rarely stressed to its limit. This is evidenced by the fact that the frame rate scales significantly with resolution and settings, indicating that the GPU is the primary driver of performance changes, but it is never overwhelmed. The RTX 4070 ranks in the 81st percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Tesla P4, is a datacenter card with a 0.1% higher average score, which is statistically irrelevant. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is 0.4% faster on average, but these comparisons are synthetic; in real-world gaming, architectural differences and driver optimizations often yield different results. The RTX 4070’s 200 W TDP and dual-slot design make it a power-efficient choice that delivers high performance without requiring exotic cooling.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of scaling across resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 319 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 240 FPS, a 24.8% reduction. At 4K Low, the average falls to 161 FPS, which is a 49.5% reduction from the 1080p baseline. This steep decline with resolution is a classic sign of a GPU-bound workload; the CPU is capable of producing frames much faster than the GPU can render them at higher pixel counts.

The trend is consistent across all settings presets. At Medium settings, the frame rates are 267 FPS at 1080p, 201 FPS at 1440p, and 135 FPS at 4K. The 1440p figure represents a 24.7% drop from 1080p, while the 4K figure is 49.4% lower. Similarly, at High settings, the averages are 238 FPS, 179 FPS, and 120 FPS for 1080p, 1440p, and 4K, respectively. The percentage drops are 24.8% and 49.6% for the two resolution steps. At Ultra settings, the pattern holds: 211 FPS at 1080p, 158 FPS at 1440p (a 25.1% decrease), and 106 FPS at 4K (a 49.8% decrease from the 1080p figure).

This consistent ~25% drop from 1080p to 1440p and ~50% drop from 1080p to 4K indicates that the RTX 4070 is the limiting component at higher resolutions. The CPU’s performance headroom is so vast that it does not constrain frame delivery at any tested setting. The data suggests that even at 4K Ultra, the CPU is likely waiting on the GPU to complete rendering tasks. For players targeting the highest refresh rates, 1080p is the sweet spot, as the combo can push past 300 FPS on Low settings. At 4K, the system still delivers smooth gameplay, but the frame rates are more moderate, reflecting the GPU’s workload.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the comprehensive database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 611th out of 2,867 total combinations. This places it in the top 21.3% of all tested systems, a strong showing that underscores its balance of high-end components. The rank is particularly impressive considering that Dave The Diver is not a graphically intensive title, meaning that even mid-range GPUs can achieve playable frame rates; the fact that this combo sits in the upper quintile indicates that it provides substantial headroom for other, more demanding applications.

The rank of 611 out of 2,867 means that there are 610 combinations that perform better in this game. These are likely systems with more powerful GPUs, such as the RTX 4080 or 4090 series, or CPUs with higher single-threaded performance. However, the delta in actual frame rates is often small. For example, the jump from 4K Ultra at 106 FPS to a higher-tier GPU might yield an additional 20-30 FPS, but the subjective experience is similar since both are well above the 60 FPS threshold. The data shows that this combo is not an outlier; it performs as expected given the components. The CPU’s 93rd percentile ranking and the GPU’s 81st percentile ranking combine to produce a system that is better than the vast majority of others, but not the absolute best available. The 611th rank reflects the fact that the RTX 4070, while excellent, is not the flagship GPU in the 40-series lineup. Nevertheless, for this specific game, the performance is so high that the rank is more a measure of theoretical potential than practical necessity.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Analyzing the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings preset depends on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p displays, the High preset delivers an average of 238 FPS, which is sufficient for even the fastest 240 Hz monitors. The Ultra preset achieves 211 FPS, a modest 11.3% reduction, but offers improved visual fidelity. Given that both are far above the 144 Hz refresh rate common on many monitors, the Ultra preset is the recommended choice for 1080p users who prioritize image quality, as the frame rate remains exceptionally high.

At 1440p, the High preset produces 179 FPS, while Ultra yields 158 FPS. Both are well above the 144 Hz threshold, making either a viable option. The Medium preset at 201 FPS is also excellent, but the visual upgrade from Medium to High is typically more noticeable than from High to Ultra. Therefore, the High preset is recommended for 1440p, as it provides a strong balance of visual quality and performance, with the data showing only a 10.5% drop compared to Medium while offering superior graphics.

For 4K resolution, the choice becomes more nuanced. The Ultra preset averages 106 FPS, which is smooth for most players and suitable for 120 Hz displays. The High preset averages 120 FPS, a 13.2% improvement over Ultra, making it the better option for those with 120 Hz or 144 Hz 4K monitors. The Medium preset at 135 FPS is also playable, but the visual compromise is more apparent at 4K’s large screen size. The data indicates that High is the sweet spot for 4K, offering a 13.2% performance boost over Ultra with a marginal visual difference in this art style. The Low preset at 161 FPS is available for competitive play, but the graphical downgrade is severe and unnecessary given the high frame rates achievable at higher settings. Overall, the High preset is the most versatile recommendation, providing excellent frame rates across all three resolutions without sacrificing the game’s aesthetic charm.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achievable with this combo at 1080p?

A: At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 319 FPS. This is the highest recorded average in the dataset, indicating that the system is capable of extremely high refresh rate gaming at the lowest graphical preset.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor at 4K Ultra. The average frame rate is 106 FPS, which is significantly lower than at 1080p, where the Ultra preset yields 211 FPS. The consistent ~50% drop in FPS from 1080p to 4K across all settings indicates that the RTX 4070’s rendering capacity is the primary constraint.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to all other tested systems?

A: This combo ranks 611th out of 2,867 tested combinations in Dave The Diver. This places it in the top 21.3% of all systems, demonstrating that it provides well-above-average performance for this title.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The dataset includes minimum FPS values only for the Medium preset at each resolution. The lowest recorded minimum is 114 FPS at 4K Medium. The minimum FPS values are 227 FPS at 1080p Medium and 171 FPS at 1440p Medium.

Q: Which preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance at 1440p?

A: The High preset at 1440p averages 179 FPS. This is 21 FPS higher than the Ultra preset’s 158 FPS, while providing a better visual experience than the Medium preset’s 201 FPS. The data suggests High is the optimal choice for 1440p displays.

Q: Does the CPU’s performance vary significantly from its closest rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 265’s average benchmark score is 64,640. Its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 4464P, scores 64,823, which is only 0.3% higher. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265F scores 64,438, a 0.3% difference. These deltas are negligible and would not produce a noticeable difference in gaming performance.