Doom: The Dark Ages has arrived, and if you're a fan of handheld gaming PCs like the Asus ROG Ally X, you might be curious about its performance with this new title. I've set a benchmark of 30 frames per second (fps) as the minimum for a playable experience, with a preference for 60fps, although that might be a stretch given the game's demanding nature.
While the previous installment, Doom Eternal, ran smoothly on the Ally, don't expect similar results with The Dark Ages. Let's dive into the specifics.
A Note on the Hardware
The world of PC gaming handhelds is thriving, and the Asus ROG Ally X stands out. It uses the same AMD Z1 Extreme chip as other top handhelds but boasts a significant advantage with 24GB of system memory, of which 16GB is dedicated to the GPU. Its memory speed is a remarkable 7,500MHz, offering superior memory bandwidth crucial for the integrated graphics of the Z1 Extreme.
The ROG Ally X represents the pinnacle of current handheld technology, making it the ideal candidate for testing a demanding game like Doom: The Dark Ages. As gaming demands increase, the Ally X serves as a benchmark for whether less powerful handhelds can keep up, especially until the next generation arrives later this year.
The Best Handheld Gaming PC
Asus Asus ROG Ally X
With double the battery life and much faster memory, the Asus ROG Ally X has established itself as the premier handheld gaming PC available. See it at Best Buy
Can the Asus ROG Ally Handle Doom: The Dark Ages?
Before you start playing, ensure your chipset is updated. On the ROG Ally X, this is straightforward: Open Armoury Crate (bottom right menu button), select the cogwheel at the top, and navigate to the Update Center. Look for the AMD Radeon Graphics Driver update, and if it's not available, select Check for Updates. Once the RC72LA update is listed, select Update All.
For my tests, I used the Ally X plugged into an outlet and set it to Turbo Operating Mode (30W) to maximize performance. I also maximized the vRAM allocation for Texture Pool Size in the game's graphics settings to 4,096 megabytes, well within the device's 24GB (16GB usable) capacity, even at the highest settings.
All tests were conducted with resolution scaling disabled. I tested various graphics presets with dynamic resolution, but the results mirrored the 720p metrics, as the target frame rate was unachievable, causing dynamic resolution to default to 720p.
Here's how Doom: The Dark Ages performed on the ROG Ally X:
| Preset | Resolution | Average FPS |
|---|---|---|
| Ultra Nightmare | 1080p | 15fps |
| Ultra Nightmare | 720p | 24fps |
| Nightmare | 1080p | 16fps |
| Nightmare | 720p | 24fps |
| Ultra | 1080p | 16fps |
| Ultra | 720p | 24fps |
| High | 1080p | 16fps |
| High | 720p | 26fps |
| Medium | 1080p | 17fps |
| Medium | 720p | 30fps |
| Low | 1080p | 20fps |
| Low | 720p | 35fps |
For testing, I repeatedly played the opening section of Doom: The Dark Ages' second mission, Hebeth, which is intense and pushes the hardware to its limits. The results were disappointing.
At 1080p, Doom: The Dark Ages on the Ally X was unplayable, averaging 15fps on Ultra Nightmare. Lowering the preset to Nightmare, Ultra, or High only marginally improved performance to around 16fps, while Medium reached 17fps. Even at Low settings, the game only managed 20fps at 1080p, which is far from smooth.
Switching to 720p improved things slightly, with Ultra Nightmare, Nightmare, and Ultra averaging 24fps, and High hitting 26fps. These frame rates are not ideal but might be tolerable for those eager to play. It was only at Medium settings at 720p that the game became playable, averaging 30fps, while Low settings reached a respectable 35fps.
Asus ROG Ally X Isn’t Ready for Doom: The Dark Ages
Despite my love for handheld gaming PCs and the Asus ROG Ally X, it's clear that current hardware falls short for Doom: The Dark Ages. To achieve 30fps, you'll need to settle for Medium or Low graphics settings at 720p.
Steam Deck users will face similar challenges, as its specs are less powerful than the Ally X. Expect to play at 800p on Low settings to reach 30fps, a reality for all current-generation handhelds.
However, there's hope on the horizon. The next generation of mobile chipsets, including the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme, is expected to arrive in handhelds later this year. Leaks suggest it might power the Asus ROG Ally 2, and there are even rumors of an Xbox-branded model. We'll have to wait and see how well these advancements handle demanding titles like Doom: The Dark Ages.
