Dave The Diver

Dave The Diver is an adventure title that leans heavily on atmospheric presentation, and the benchmark data for the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 shows a system that is overwhelmingly overqualified for the task. The measured results are consistently high, with the lowest average frame rate recorded at 150 FPS in 4K Ultra settings. This combination of a 20-core desktop processor and a flagship 40-series GPU produces frame rates that far exceed the refresh rates of most standard displays, making the limiting factor in this configuration the game's own engine and the resolution chosen, rather than the hardware's raw capacity. The data indicates a performance ceiling that is rarely, if ever, tested by this particular title.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic pattern of GPU-bound scaling, though the absolute numbers remain exceptionally high at every step. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the system delivers an average of 337 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 High drops this to 254 FPS, a reduction of 83 FPS (or roughly 25%). The jump to 3840x2160 High yields 170 FPS, a further 84 FPS reduction from the 1440p result. This consistent decline of approximately 80 FPS per resolution step at High settings indicates that the rendering load is scaling directly with pixel count, which is a typical characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario.

The scaling pattern holds across all settings presets. At Low settings, the system averages 451 FPS at 1080p, 340 FPS at 1440p, and 227 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 24.6% and 33.2% respectively, showing that the RTX 4090 is still the primary bottleneck even at the lowest load. At Ultra settings, the system averages 298 FPS at 1080p, 224 FPS at 1440p, and 150 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 24.8%, and from 1440p to 4K is 33.0%. This consistency across presets confirms that the resolution is the dominant variable influencing performance, and the GPU's ability to fill pixels is the constraining factor.

What is most telling about the resolution scaling is that even at the most demanding setting tested—4K Ultra—the average frame rate of 150 FPS is still far above the 60 FPS target that most displays use as a baseline. The data shows that the RTX 4090 is never under significant strain in this game; the workload is simply not heavy enough to bring the card below three-figure frame rates. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 does not appear to introduce any CPU-side limitations, as the frame rate scales predictably with resolution, which is the expected behavior when the processor is feeding the GPU faster than it can render. This suggests that players can prioritize visual fidelity without worrying about a performance cliff.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a 20-core, 20-thread processor from the Arrow Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. It features 30 MB of shared L3 cache and supports DDR5 memory via a dual-channel bus. The benchmark results show a strong synthetic performance profile, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 42,216 and a single-core score of 5,960. These numbers place the CPU in the 93rd percentile of all processors tested, and its average benchmark score of 64,640 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, including the AMD EPYC 4464P (64,823, -0.3% delta) and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F (64,438, +0.3% delta).

In the context of Dave The Diver, the CPU's role is supportive. The game is not a multi-threaded stress test; it is a 2D side-scrolling adventure with relatively modest simulation requirements. The measured FPS data shows no signs of CPU bottlenecking. For instance, at 1080p Low, the system reaches 451 FPS, which is a massive frame rate that would require the CPU to prepare and submit a new frame every 2.2 milliseconds. The fact that the system can sustain this without a drop suggests that the 20 cores and high boost clock are more than sufficient to handle the game's logic, AI, and physics calculations. The 20 threads ensure that even background tasks or streaming processes would not interfere with frame pacing.

The high single-core performance, evidenced by the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5,960, is likely more relevant than the multicore count for this genre. Many adventure games rely on a primary game thread that cannot be fully parallelized. The 5.30 GHz boost clock helps ensure that this primary thread is processed as quickly as possible, allowing the RTX 4090 to remain fully utilized. Conversely, the multicore capability is a safety net for any ancillary tasks. The data shows that the CPU is never the limiting component; the performance is consistently dictated by the GPU and resolution, as evidenced by the predictable scaling pattern. The CPU's headroom is substantial, meaning that any future patches or mods that increase simulation complexity would likely still be handled without issue.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark data provides clear guidance on the optimal settings for this hardware combination. Given that the lowest average frame rate recorded is 150 FPS (at 4K Ultra), every preset offers a playable experience. The choice of settings comes down to the user's display capabilities and preference for visual fidelity versus maximum frame rate. For users with a 60 Hz or 120 Hz display, the Ultra preset is the obvious choice at any resolution, as it provides the highest visual quality while still delivering an average of 150 FPS at 4K, 224 FPS at 1440p, and 298 FPS at 1080p. These numbers are all far above the refresh rate of standard high-refresh displays.

For users with a 240 Hz display, the High preset offers a better balance. At 4K High, the system averages 170 FPS, which is still below 240 FPS but represents a 13.3% improvement over Ultra. At 1440p High, the average is 254 FPS, which exceeds the 240 Hz target. At 1080p High, the average is 337 FPS, providing a comfortable margin. The High preset is recommended over Medium because the frame rate gain from Medium to High is relatively small (e.g., 190 FPS to 170 FPS at 4K, a 10.5% decrease) while the visual quality improvement is typically more noticeable. The jump from High to Ultra is a 11.8% decrease in FPS at 4K (170 to 150) and a 11.8% decrease at 1440p (254 to 224), which might not be worth the visual gain for competitive players.

The Low preset is generally not recommended, as it provides diminishing returns in terms of frame rate. While it does offer the highest FPS (451 at 1080p), the visual downgrade is severe, and the game's art style likely benefits from higher quality settings. The data shows that the system is capable of running the game at maximum settings without any performance concerns. Therefore, the best experience per the measured rows is the Ultra preset for most users, with the High preset being the optimal choice for those chasing the highest possible frame rates on 240 Hz displays. There is no scenario in the data where the system struggles to maintain a smooth experience, so prioritizing visual fidelity is the logical choice.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 achieves a combo rank of 82 out of 2,867 tested combinations. This places it in the top 2.9% of all systems tested, which is a strong result, though not the absolute top. The ranking indicates that there are 81 other combinations that deliver higher average frame rates in Dave The Diver. This is likely due to the fact that the game is not extremely demanding, and other CPUs with even higher single-core performance or GPUs with faster memory could edge out slightly higher frame rates.

The rank of 82 confirms the raw power of the RTX 4090, which is in the 88th percentile of all GPUs tested. The CPU's 93rd percentile ranking also contributes to this high placement. The combination of two top-tier components results in a system that is in the top echelon of performers. However, the data suggests that the game's performance is so high that the difference between rank 82 and rank 1 might be just a few frames per second, which is imperceptible in real-world gameplay. The limiting factor is the game engine's frame rate cap or the rendering pipeline, not the hardware itself.

The nearest rivals to the CPU in synthetic benchmarks, such as the AMD EPYC 4464P and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F, show that the CPU is performing as expected. The GPU's nearest rivals in the database, including the Intel Arc Pro A60 and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48, have significantly lower average scores, but the RTX 4090's dominance in raw rasterization is clear from its 38,194 Passmark G3D score. The combo rank of 82 out of 2,867 is a strong indicator that this system is a top-tier performer for this game, and users can expect exceptional performance without any compromises.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo achieves in Dave The Diver?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 451 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Can this system run the game at 4K Ultra settings smoothly?

A: Yes, the data shows an average of 150 FPS at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings, which is well above the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 a bottleneck for the RTX 4090 in this game?

A: No, the benchmark results indicate the CPU is not a limiting factor. The frame rates scale predictably with resolution, which is a sign of GPU-bound performance. The CPU's high single-core and multicore scores support this.

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

A: This combination ranks 82nd out of 2,867 tested combos, placing it in the top 2.9% of all systems tested for this game.

Q: What is the difference in performance between High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset averages 254 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 224 FPS. This is a 30 FPS (11.8%) difference, favoring High settings for higher refresh rates.

Q: Does the game utilize the CPU's 20 cores effectively?

A: While the game likely does not use all 20 cores, the CPU's high boost clock of 5.30 GHz ensures strong single-thread performance, which is more critical for this type of adventure game. The multicore headroom ensures no bottlenecks from background tasks.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact measured average frame rates for each resolution and settings preset combination.

| Resolution | Settings | Average FPS |

|:--------- |:------- |:---------- |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 150 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 170 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 190 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 227 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 224 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 254 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 284 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 340 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 298 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 337 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 378 |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 451 |

The data also includes minimum and maximum frame rate figures for the Medium preset at each resolution. At 3840x2160 Medium, the system recorded a minimum of 162 FPS and a maximum of 219 FPS. At 2560x1440 Medium, the minimum was 242 FPS and the maximum 327 FPS. Finally, at 1920x1080 Medium, the minimum was 321 FPS and the maximum 434 FPS. These figures indicate that even the lowest frame rates experienced are exceptionally high, ensuring a consistent and fluid experience without stuttering. The narrow gap between minimum and maximum FPS at each resolution (e.g., 57 FPS at 4K Medium) suggests a stable performance profile without significant frame time spikes.