Doom: The Dark Ages system requirements are finally here, following an extended preview of the game during Xbox’s Developer_Direct 2025 showcase. It’ll be the first game to use id Software’s idTech8 engine, complete with ray-traced lighting, shadows, and other modern eye-candy.
The next chapter of the first-person shooter series is surprisingly encompassing of hardware new and old. That said, you’ll need a graphics card that supports ray tracing to get Doom: The Dark Ages up and running.
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | 1080p / 60fps / Low | 1440p / 60fps / High |
| OS | Windows 10 64-bit Windows 11 | Windows 10 64-bit Windows 11 |
| CPU | Ryzen 7 3700X Core i7-10700K | Ryzen 7 5700X Core i7-12700K |
| GPU | GeForce RTX 2060 Super Radeon RX 6600 | GeForce RTX 3080 Radeon RX 6800 |
| RAM | 16GB | 32GB |
| Storage | 100GB SSD | 100GB SSD |
GeForce RTX 2060 Super and Radeon RX 6600 form the base of the game’s minimum requirements. For modern equivalents, look to GeForce RTX 4060 and Radeon RX 7600 but I’d suggest stretching your budget to Arc B580 if possible.
The remainder of the lowest specs tier is quite reasonable by modern standards. In terms of processing power, your system will need a CPU equivalent to Ryzen 7 3700X or Core i7-10700K. For hardware you can buy today, I’d recommend Ryzen 7 9700X or Core i7-14700K in their stead.
Ryzen 7 9700X
“Should you game with a high-end GPU, I’d recommend the Ryzen 7 9700X.” Read our review.
Don’t forget that you’ll also need 16GB of RAM and 100GB space free on an SSD as hard drives will give you the wrong type of hellish experience. A machine of this calibre or similar quality should set you up for a 60fps experience at 1080p using ‘Low’ settings.
Moving up to Doom: The Dark Ages recommended specs, processor requirements jump a few generations to Ryzen 7 5700X and Core i7-12700K. My prior CPU recommendations for the previous tier remain the same here. However, you’ll need double the RAM at 32GB as well.
Higher performance of 60fps at 1440p using ‘High’ settings naturally calls for a more powerful pixel pusher, as GeForce RTX 3080 and Radeon RX 6800 fit the bill. Current generation offerings I’d use in their place include GeForce RTX 4070 Super and Radeon RX 7800 XT.
| Ultra 4K | |
|---|---|
| Performance | 2160p / 60fps / Ultra |
| OS | Windows 10 64-bit Windows 11 |
| CPU | Ryzen 7 5700X Core i7-12700K |
| GPU | GeForce RTX 4080 Radeon RX 7900 XTX |
| RAM | 32GB |
| Storage | 100GB SSD |
id Software also shares the calibre of components you’ll need to drive Doom: The Dark Ages at 60fps using ‘Ultra’ settings at pin-sharp 4K. The only changes from the recommended specs include graphics cards, namely moving up to GeForce RTX 4080 and Radeon RX 7900 XTX.
The former graphics card and its replacement, GeForce RTX 4080 Super, are becoming difficult to find at MSRP or otherwise. Its successor, GeForce RTX 5080 is en route at the time of writing and will more than serve as a stand-in thanks to its higher performance.
Radeon RX 7900 XTX
“AMD has a credible premium product with Radeon RX 7900 XTX.” Read our review.
Meanwhile, AMD’s flagship is still widely available. However, Radeon RX 9070 Series will debut in March 2025 before the game’s May 15 release. With this in mind, the wise move is to wait and see how the new RDNA 4 GPUs stack up before buying if you can help it.
If you’re not sure whether to bat for Team Green or Red, keep in mind that Doom: The Dark Ages supports DLSS 4, which could steer you towards the former. I hope id Software commits to including FSR 4 too but there’s no word from the developer on that front for now.
Using Doom Eternal performance as a barometer, I’m confident that The Dark Ages will push visual fidelity in exciting ways while also somehow magically running well on most hardware. I plan on putting the debut of idTech8 to the test come the game’s launch, so be sure to follow Club386 on Google News to make sure you catch my analysis when it drops.
