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DOOM: The Dark Ages performance and technology review – gloriously chaotic shooter with buttery-smooth performance

A true heavy metal shooter masterpiece.

The third instalment in the rebooted DOOM series swaps out the id Tech 7 engine for the shiny new id Tech 8, bringing a fresh feel to the carnage courtesy of the new "chainsaw shield". Which GPUs can handle its relentless action without breaking a sweat?
Christian Hintze, 👁 Christian Hintze, Louise Burke (translated by DeepL / Ninh Duy) Published 🇩🇪 🇫🇷 ...
Gaming Laptop Desktop Gamecheck Benchmark

Verdict – a whole new level of challenge compared to its predecessor

With the new version of the id Tech engine, system requirements have noticeably increased. While the previous title ran smoothly in Full HD with max settings on a GTX 1060, The Dark Ages now nearly requires an RTX 4070, at least if you're not using AI upscaling.

Anyone aiming for resolutions beyond FHD will need a true high-end GPU for smooth performance. At UHD/4K, even the top-tier laptop GPU, the RTX 5090, can no longer hit 60 fps natively. DLSS is essential here, but even with upscaling, GPUs below the 5090 won't reach that 60 fps mark.

You can squeeze out more frames using frame generation (FG), though the added latency is something to keep in mind. In QHD, that latency is well within acceptable limits. At UHD, though, it's up to each player to test and decide whether the trade-off is worth it.

Tech, settings & benchmark

DOOM: The Dark Ages is now the eighth main entry in the series and the third in the "modern" line of titles. Yet, the game is set before its two predecessors, DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal (2020). A standout feature is the "chainsaw shield," which alters the gameplay by enhancing close combat. The battles are fast-paced, fostering a distinct flow of action. A review delving deeper into the gameplay can be found here (in English).

While it may feel as though almost every game is made using the Unreal Engine, id Software continues to rely on its own id Tech 8 engine, now one version ahead of its immediate predecessor. It brings improvements to lighting and shadow rendering via ray tracing, expanded environmental destruction, path tracing, and physics. The same engine is also used in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

The engine does a great job, even if the game doesn't quite reach the visual heights of the most graphically advanced titles. Load times are quick, and the action runs buttery smooth if you've got a powerful enough GPU. The new DOOM is clearly more demanding than its predecessor. Ray tracing isn't optional this time around. It is fully integrated into the experience, so your graphics hardware needs to be up to the task.

When launching the Steam version, we were prompted to install a new Nvidia driver for DOOM: The Dark Ages. For the best performance, make sure you're running the latest version.

In-game loading times are pleasantly fast, and the graphics settings menu offers a wide range of options. The game supports Nvidia DLSS 4, Intel XeSS, and AMD FSR with or without FG, along with many other settings, including accessibility features. The difficulty level alone can be fine-tuned using numerous sliders, from game speed to the timing window for parrying attacks and the level of enemy aggression.

A definite plus is that all changes to the graphics settings take effect without requiring a restart.

The extensive graphics menu
The extensive graphics menu
HDR and motion blur
HDR and motion blur
Nvidia DLSS, Intel XeSS or FSR, with or without frame generation
Nvidia DLSS, Intel XeSS or FSR, with or without frame generation
Quality presets
Quality presets

The only thing missing is an integrated benchmark, which is why we use the tool CapFrameX and the opening scene of the first chapter (Village of Khalim) for our measurements.

We guide our character through the narrow, linear level without engaging any enemies. Our short benchmark run ends at the point where the spaceship crashes. This scene offers a solid indication of in-game performance. While large numbers of enemies have yet to appear, the spaceship crash alone creates plenty of on-screen activity.

Results

FHD (1,920 x 1,080)

If you want to play this fast-paced FPS with more than 60 fps on maximum settings, you'll need at least an RTX 4070. An older RTX 3060 reaches 60 fps only at low to medium detail levels. On maximum settings, the RTX 3060 still manages around 50 fps.

The currently best-performing iGPU, the Radeon 8060s, is a bit slower. It reaches around 43 fps at maximum settings and just misses the 60 fps mark even on low settings. The Radeon 780M, by contrast, struggles to hit 15 fps in FHD on low, and performance is similarly limited with the 890M.

Doom: The Dark Ages
    1920x1080 Low AA:T     1920x1080 Medium AA:T     1920x1080 High AA:T     1920x1080 Ultra Nightmare AA:T
AMD Radeon 780M, R9 8945HS
Minisforum EliteMini UM890 Pro
15.8 (12.1min, 12.1P0.1, 13P1) fps ∼12%
12.8 (8.74min, 9.12P0.1, 10.2P1) fps ∼11%
11.4 (8.99min, 9.06P0.1, 9.53P1) fps ∼11%
AMD Radeon 890M, Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
Minisforum AI X1 Pro
20.3 (16.7min, 16.8P0.1, 18P1) fps ∼15%
17.3 (10.2min, 11.1P0.1, 14.7P1) fps ∼15%
15.8 (13.1min, 13.2P0.1, 14P1) fps ∼15%
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU, i7-12700H
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16IAH7H
62.5 (43.8min, 43.8P0.1, 47.4P1) fps ∼47%
58.1 (43min, 44.5P0.1, 46.7P1) fps ∼50%
50.4 (38min, 38.2P0.1, 39.9P1) fps ∼46%
49.9 (32.5min, 33.2P0.1, 35.8P1) fps ∼47%
AMD Radeon RX 8060S, Ryzen AI Max+ 395
Asus ROG Flow Z13 GZ302EA-RU073W
57.7 (46.6P0.1, 47.8P1) fps ∼43%
49.4 (38.6P0.1, 40.2P1) fps ∼42%
44.4 (34.6P0.1, 35.2P1) fps ∼41%
42.7 (32.9P0.1, 33.9P1) fps ∼41%
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, R9 8945HS
Razer Blade 14 RZ09-0508
86.9 (59.6P0.1, 64.2P1) fps ∼65%
77 (55.5P0.1, 58.8P1) fps ∼66%
68.8 (48.7P0.1, 53P1) fps ∼63%
66.8 (49P0.1, 51.7P1) fps ∼63%
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, i9-13950HX
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
112.5 (51.4min, 58.7P0.1, 68.7P1) fps ∼84%
102.8 (49.1min, 51.6P0.1, 64.6P1) fps ∼88%
94.6 (49.7min, 55.6P0.1, 62.2P1) fps ∼87%
93.8 (62.9min, 68.6P0.1, 74.5P1) fps ∼89%
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, R9 7945HX
Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 G733PY-XS96
123.4 (84.6min, 86P0.1, 92.3P1) fps ∼92%
115 (18.1min, 83.4P0.1, 89.1P1) fps ∼98%
105.5 (69.6min, 75.9P0.1, 83.7P1) fps ∼97%
95.2 (57.9min, 62.1P0.1, 70.9P1) fps ∼90%
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop, Ultra 9 275HX
Asus ROG Strix G16 G615
117.1 (76.9P0.1, 88.3P1) fps ∼88%
102.5 (74.9P0.1, 81.3P1) fps ∼87%
95.6 (72.7P0.1, 77P1) fps ∼88%
94.8 (75.1P0.1, 76.5P1) fps ∼90%
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop, Ultra 9 275HX
Aorus MASTER 16 AM6H
133.5 fps ∼100%
117.3 fps ∼100%
108.4 fps ∼100%
105.3 fps ∼100%

QHD (2,560 x 1,440)

In QHD, the older RTX 3060 just manages to exceed 30 fps, which is unlikely to be enough for a consistently smooth experience in scenes with larger enemy groups. With DLSS enabled, performance rises to just over 40 fps, making it at least playable.

Without DLSS, even an RTX 4070 does not reach 60 fps. You would need an RTX 4080 to achieve that level of performance. This clearly shows how demanding the game is, and highlights the increasingly important role upscaling technologies now play and will continue to play in the future.

Doom: The Dark Ages
    2560x1440 Ultra Nightmare AA:T     2560x1440 Ultra Nightmare - DLSS Quality
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop, Ultra 9 275HX
Aorus MASTER 16 AM6H
77 fps ∼100%
102.3 fps ∼100%
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, R9 7945HX
Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 G733PY-XS96
73.1 (49.7min, 54.1P0.1, 60.5P1) fps ∼95%
95.3 (55.1min, 59.2P0.1, 67.4P1) fps ∼93%
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, i9-13950HX
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
65.4 (33.8min, 36.1P0.1, 41.4P1) fps ∼85%
86.6 (34.1min, 43P0.1, 52.5P1) fps ∼85%
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop, Ultra 9 275HX
Asus ROG Strix G16 G615
65 (51.8P0.1, 52.5P1) fps ∼84%
89.1 (72.6P0.1, 76.3P1) fps ∼87%
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, R9 8945HS
Razer Blade 14 RZ09-0508
41 (28.3P0.1, 30.9P1) fps ∼53%
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU, i7-12700H
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16IAH7H
31.6 (25.6min, 25.8P0.1, 26.4P1) fps ∼41%
40.9 (32.2min, 32.6P0.1, 34.8P1) fps ∼40%

UHD (3,840 x 2,160)

Even the flagship RTX 5090 (laptop) is no longer able to maintain a smooth 60 fps in UHD without DLSS enabled. To reach that performance level, DLSS must be activated. Even with upscaling, all GPUs below the RTX 5090 fall short of 60 fps.

Doom: The Dark Ages
    3840x2160 Ultra Nightmare AA:T     3840x2160 Ultra Nightmare - DLSS Quality
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop, Ultra 9 275HX
Aorus MASTER 16 AM6H
43.3 fps ∼100%
63 fps ∼100%
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, R9 7945HX
Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 G733PY-XS96
39.7 (30.5min, 31.3P0.1, 33.4P1) fps ∼92%
57.1 (46min, 46.1P0.1, 48.3P1) fps ∼91%
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop, Ultra 9 275HX
Asus ROG Strix G16 G615
36.6 (29P0.1, 29.8P1) fps ∼85%
55 (45.3P0.1, 46.5P1) fps ∼87%
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, i9-13950HX
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
34.7 (26.5min, 27P0.1, 29P1) fps ∼80%
51.9 (40.5min, 42.2P0.1, 43.3P1) fps ∼82%
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU, i7-12700H
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16IAH7H
10.4 (7.82min, 8.04P0.1, 8.43P1) fps ∼24%
12.7 (9.4min, 10P0.1, 11P1) fps ∼20%

Frame generation

Frame generation (FG) can be tempting in a fast-paced shooter like this, especially when you're chasing ultra-high frame rates. But is the trade-off in latency worth it?

In our testing, FG works well in DOOM: The Dark Ages at Full HD or QHD resolutions. For example, at QHD, latency increases by a barely noticeable 38 milliseconds when using a mobile RTX 5080, while the frame rate rises from 64 fps (native) to 89 fps (DLSS only) and then to an impressive 228 fps with FG at four times. This results in an even smoother and more responsive gameplay experience, with latency that is virtually unnoticeable. The situation is slightly different at UHD resolution, where latency increases by 55 milliseconds, which more competitive players may begin to notice.

Frame generation latency in QHD and UHD
Frame generation latency in QHD and UHD
Frame rate in QHD and UHD
Frame rate in QHD and UHD

Test systems

Image
Model / Review
Price
Weight
Height
Display
1.
75.6%
Minisforum EliteMini UM890 Pro
Minisforum EliteMini UM890 Pro
AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS ⎘
AMD Radeon 780M ⎘
32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD
Amazon:
1. $647.00
MINISFORUM UM890 Pro Mini PC...
2. $479.90
MINISFORUM UM890 Pro Mini PC...
3. $38.99
UL Listed 19V AC/DC Adapter ...
List Price: 739 EUR
709 g60.6 mmx
2.
82.9%
Minisforum AI X1 Pro
Minisforum AI X1 Pro
AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 ⎘
AMD Radeon 890M ⎘
64 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD
Amazon:
1. $1,119.90
MINISFORUM AI X1 Pro-370 Min...
2. $999.99
MINISFORUM Mini PC AI X1 Pro...
3. $367.90
MINISFORUM X1-255 Mini PC AM...
1.4 kg42.5 mmx
3.
86.6% v7 (old)
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16IAH7H
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16IAH7H
Intel Core i7-12700H ⎘
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU ⎘
16 GB Memory, 2048 GB SSD
Amazon:
1. $1,129.99
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16ARH7H ...
2. $21.59
New Cooling Fans for Lenovo ...
3. $1,377.32
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16IAH7 8...
List Price: 1999€
2.6 kg27 mm16.00"
2560x1600
189 PPI
IPS
4.
86.8%
Asus ROG Flow Z13 GZ302EA-RU073W
Asus ROG Flow Z13 GZ302EA-RU073W
AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 ⎘
AMD Radeon RX 8060S ⎘
32 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD
Amazon:
1. $2,839.00
HIDevolution [2025] ASUS ROG...
2. $109.99
200W Charger for Asus ROG Fl...
3. $109.99
ROG 200W Charger for Asus RO...
List Price: 2499€
1.6 kg14.9 mm13.40"
2560x1600
225 PPI
IPS
5.
89.7% v7 (old)
Razer Blade 14 RZ09-0508
Razer Blade 14 RZ09-0508
AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS ⎘
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU ⎘
32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD
Amazon: $4,024.18
List Price: 2700 USD
1.9 kg17.99 mm14.00"
2560x1600
216 PPI
IPS
6.
91.2% v7 (old)
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX ⎘
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU ⎘
32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD
Amazon:
1. $89.99
330W 16.92A 19.5V GaN Laptop...
2. $84.99
280W 14.36A 19.5V GaN Laptop...
3. $109.99
JUYOON 280W Laptop Charger P...
List Price: 3600 USD
2.4 kg21.99 mm16.00"
2560x1600
189 PPI
IPS
7.
88.3% v7 (old)
Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 G733PY-XS96
Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 G733PY-XS96
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX ⎘
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU ⎘
32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD
Amazon:
1. $110.99
LCDOLED Compatible with ASUS...
2. $80.99
330W AC Adapter 20V 16.5A A2...
3. $110.99
LCDOLED Compatible with ASUS...
List Price: 3500 USD
2.9 kg28.3 mm17.30"
2560x1440
170 PPI
IPS
8.
87.3%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G615
Asus ROG Strix G16 G615
Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX ⎘
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop ⎘
32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD
Amazon:
1. $2,381.14
ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2025) Ga...
2. $1,499.99
ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2025) Ga...
3. $2,847.58
ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2025) Ga...
List Price: 3299€
2.6 kg30.8 mm16.00"
2560x1600
189 PPI
IPS
9.
85.1%
Aorus MASTER 16 AM6H
Aorus MASTER 16 AM6H
Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX ⎘
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop ⎘
32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD
Amazon:
1. $46.99
Smatree Hard Laptop Sleeve C...
2. $59.99
Smatree 16 inch Laptop Sleev...
3. $18.99
Vaxson 2-Pack Protector Film...
List Price: 4.75 Euro
2.5 kg29.9 mm16.00"
2560x1600
189 PPI
OLED

Overview

Show Restrictions
PosModel< PrevNext >Doom: The Dark Ages
 Doom: The Dark Ages (2025)
low
1920x1080
Low
TAA
med.
1920x1080
Medium
TAA
high
1920x1080
High
TAA
ultra
1920x1080
Ultra Nightmare
TAA
QHD
2560x1440
Ultra Nightmare
TAA
4K
3840x2160
Ultra Nightmare
TAA
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
171.8
137.5
89
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
198.9
178.4
165.2
162
125.3
73.7
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080
170.1
151.5
142.2
137.5
103.8
61.6
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti
155.1
138.7
127.3
124.5
94.8
54.5
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
166.6
141.6
130.1
125
89.9
50
AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT
171.9
148.9
133.6
129.8
96.1
53
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop
133.5
120.8n2
111.15n2
108.3n2
79.55n2
43.3
AMD Radeon RX 9070
154.7
132.9
120.2
116
82.3
44.4
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop
117.1
107.75n2
99.8n2
94.8n3
65n3
36.6
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070
125.5
109.5
102.5
99.3
70.3
38.6
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti
102.9
89.5
82.1
81.1
56.9
30.9
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
123.4
115
105.5
95.2
73.1
39.7
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
119.5
106.6
99.5
94.7
68.6
38.9
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
112.5
102.8
94.6
93.8
65.4
34.7
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060
65.6
57.1
51.6
49.9
31.1
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop
93
94.8n3
84.3n3
82.7n3
57.9n3
AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB
107.8
87
78.7
76.1
53.7
28.2
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti
93.1
83.4
74.2
73.4
47.4
10.8
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop
67.1n2
63.25n2
61.9n2
42.45n2
PosModel< PrevNext >Doom: The Dark Ages
low med. high ultra QHD 4K
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU
85.7n2
76.5n2
68.6n2
66.85n2
42.35n2
15.4
AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT
66.3
56.9
51.9
49.1
33.9
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
62.9
58
53.3
51.2
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop
63.2
57.8
57.3
35
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
78.1
70.8
63.9
61.5
40.6
Intel Arc A770
49.8
43.6
38.7
37.9
27
14.6
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060
73.3
63.2
58.6
56.2
36.5
AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT
37.9
24.1
5.13
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
68
60.2
54.7
52.6
33.1
AMD Radeon RX 8060S
57.7
49.4
44.4
42.7
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
61.7
54.1
49.8
47.9
32
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
62.5
58.1
50.4
49.9
31.6
10.4
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Super (Desktop)
53.9
45.7
41.9
39.5
26
Intel Arc A770M
42.3
36.9
33.6
32.4
22.6
AMD Radeon RX 6600
44.7
38.4
34.6
32.8
AMD Radeon RX 8050S
53.2
51.6
40.6
34.3
AMD Radeon 890M
20.3
17.3
15.8
Intel Arc Graphics 140V
23.6
19.1
AMD Radeon 780M
15.8
12.8
11.4
AMD Radeon 610M
1.35
(-) * Smaller values are better. / n123 Number of benchmarks for this median value / * Approximate position

 

Legend
5Stutters – This game is very likely to stutter and have poor frame rates. Based on all known benchmarks using the specified graphical settings, average frame rates are expected to fall below 25fps
May Stutter – This graphics card has not been explicitly tested on this game. Based on interpolated information from surrounding graphics cards of similar performance levels, stutters and poor frame rates are expected.
30Fluent – Based on all known benchmarks using the specified graphical settings, this game should run at or above 25fps
40Fluent – Based on all known benchmarks using the specified graphical settings, this game should run at or above 35fps
60Fluent – Based on all known benchmarks using the specified graphical settings, this game should run at or above 58fps
May Run Fluently – This graphics card has not been explicitly tested on this game. Based on interpolated information from surrounding graphics cards of similar performance levels, fluent frame rates are expected.
?Uncertain – This graphics card experienced unexpected performance issues during testing for this game. A slower card may be able to achieve better and more consistent frame rates than this particular GPU running the same benchmark scene.
Uncertain – This graphics card has not been explicitly tested on this game and no reliable interpolation can be made based on the performances of surrounding cards of the same class or family.
The value in the fields displays the average frame rate of all values in the database. Move your cursor over the value to see individual results.
static version load dynamic
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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > DOOM: The Dark Ages review – gloriously chaotic shooter with buttery-smooth performance
Christian Hintze, 2025-05-31 (Update: 2025-05-31)