The gates of Hell have opened once more, and this time your gaming rig needs to be armed to the teeth. id Software’s Doom: The Dark Ages doesn’t just challenge your reflexes; it demands a modern, beefy PC for smooth demon-slaying action. Let’s break down every requirement tier-minimum, recommended, and Ultra/4K—so you can see if your setup is ready, or if it’s time to send your old GPU on an early retirement.
Below are the key requirements for each settings tier, so you can quickly see what your PC needs to run Doom: The Dark Ages at your target resolution and frame rate.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Feature | Specification |
| Player Experience | 1080p/60fps/Low (Minimum) | 1440p/60fps/High (Recommended) | 2160p/60fps/Ultra (Ultra/4K) |
| Operating System | Windows 10/11 64-bit|Windows 10/11 64-bit|Windows 10/11 64-bit |
| CPU | AMD Zen 2 or Intel 10th Gen, 8C/16T @3.2GHz+|AMD Zen 3 or Intel 12th Gen, 8C/16T @3.2GHz+|AMD Zen 3 or Intel 12th Gen, 8C/16T @3.2GHz+ |
| RAM | 16GB|32GB|32GB |
| GPU | Ray tracing-capable, 8GB VRAM (e.g., RTX 2060, RX 6600)|Ray tracing-capable, 10GB VRAM (e.g., RTX 3080, RX 6800)|Ray tracing-capable, 16GB VRAM (e.g., RTX 4080, RX 7900 XT) |
| VRAM | 8GB or better|10GB or better|16GB or better |
| Storage | 100GB SSD|100GB SSD|100GB SSD |
If you want to run Doom: The Dark Ages at 1080p and 60fps on low settings, you’ll still need a surprisingly robust PC. The minimum requirements call for a ray tracing-capable GPU—like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 or AMD Radeon RX 6600—with at least 8GB VRAM. CPUs must bring at least eight cores and 16 threads, starting at AMD’s Zen 2 or Intel’s 10th gen lines.
This is a notable leap from last-gen titles. Ray tracing as a baseline means legacy cards like the GTX 1060 are officially outpaced, closing the door for many older systems. RAM requirements start at 16GB, which is now the industry standard, but 100GB of SSD storage is also mandatory—an HDD simply won’t do if you want to avoid load times long enough to rival Hell’s waiting list.
For a smoother, more detailed experience at 1440p/60fps with high settings, Doom: The Dark Ages asks more of your hardware. The minimum GPU jumps to one with 10GB VRAM, with id Software recommending the Nvidia RTX 3080 or AMD RX 6800. Both GPUs deliver strong ray tracing performance and are still considered high-end for today’s mainstream gaming.
CPU requirements remain steep but not outlandish: an eight-core/16-thread chip from AMD’s Zen 3 or Intel’s 12th gen. Upgrading to 32GB RAM is recommended—an easy, affordable way to keep stutter at bay if you’re already running a capable CPU and GPU. A 100GB SSD is still a must. Notably, even popular GPUs like the RTX 3070 fall below the recommended bar, so check your card’s VRAM before getting too trigger-happy.
If you’re aiming for 2160p (4K) at 60fps with Ultra settings, prepare your wallet—and your PSU. Doom: The Dark Ages expects a GPU with 16GB VRAM or more, such as the Nvidia RTX 4080 or AMD RX 7900 XT. These cards represent the cutting edge, designed for high-bandwidth, ray-traced gameplay. RAM remains at 32GB, and CPU specs mirror the recommended tier; you don’t need more cores, but you do need raw single-threaded power.
Ultra settings aren’t just for show—they push dynamic lighting, particle effects, and world detail to the max. This is where a high-speed SSD like the WD Black SN850X can really shine, ensuring that level transitions and asset streaming keep pace with your demon-slaying rampage. A 512GB SSD is recommended, but the game itself will eat 100GB—so plan accordingly.
Doom: The Dark Ages follows a new trend—joining titles like Indiana Jones: The Great Circle—in making ray tracing-capable hardware a hard requirement. That means older cards (think GTX 10-series and below) simply aren’t invited to the party. Ray tracing brings elevated lighting, shadows, and reflections, but yes, it does lean heavily on your GPU. This shift signals a changing landscape in PC gaming, where “minimum” doesn’t mean “old hardware” anymore.
If your PC falls short, there are plenty of upgrade paths. For most gamers, investing in a ray tracing-capable GPU—like the RTX 4060, RTX 4070, or RX 7700 XT—will offer excellent performance at 1080p and even 1440p. For CPUs, eight-core chips such as the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X or Intel Core i7-12700K are widely available and budget-friendly compared to flagship parts. And if you still haven’t jumped to SSD storage, the difference in load times and responsiveness is, frankly, hellacious.
If you’re already running an eight-core CPU and 16GB RAM, the GPU is likely your bottleneck. Consider the Nvidia RTX 4060 Ti as an affordable upgrade for 1080p/1440p, or the AMD RX 7700 XT for strong high-res performance on a budget. RAM upgrades are simple and cheap, often providing a noticeable bump in overall system snappiness. And don’t neglect your SSD—a fast drive is essential for both loading times and consistent in-game performance.
Q: Is Doom: The Dark Ages playable without a ray tracing-capable GPU?
A: No, all tiers require a ray tracing-capable graphics card with at least 8GB VRAM, such as the Nvidia RTX 2060 or AMD RX 6600.
Q: What’s the biggest performance bottleneck for most PCs with Doom: The Dark Ages?
A: The GPU—specifically, VRAM and ray tracing performance—is the most likely bottleneck. Ensuring you have at least 8GB VRAM (preferably 10GB or more for higher settings) is key.
Q: Can I run Doom: The Dark Ages on a SATA SSD or does it require NVMe?
A: Both SATA and NVMe SSDs are supported, but an SSD is mandatory. NVMe will provide faster load times, but gameplay performance is largely dictated by your CPU and GPU.
Will your PC rise to the challenge of Doom: The Dark Ages, or is it time for an upgrade? Sound off in the comments below!