The much-anticipated Doom: The Dark Ages has arrived, and if you're a fan of handheld gaming PCs, you're likely eager to know if the Asus ROG Ally X can run it smoothly. Aiming for at least 30 frames per second (fps) for playability, with an ideal target of 60fps, is crucial for an enjoyable experience. While the previous installment, Doom Eternal, was celebrated for its performance on the Ally, fans hoping for similar results with The Dark Ages may find themselves disappointed.
A Note on the Hardware ----------------------The world of PC gaming handhelds is brimming with diversity, but the Asus ROG Ally X stands out at the forefront. Equipped with the AMD Z1 Extreme, a processor shared by many top-tier handhelds, the Ally X distinguishes itself with a hefty 24GB of system memory, 16GB of which is allocated to the GPU by default. Moreover, its memory operates at an impressive 7,500MHz, significantly boosting memory bandwidth—a critical factor for the performance of the Z1 Extreme's integrated graphics.
This makes the ROG Ally X an ideal candidate for testing the demanding Doom: The Dark Ages. As games continue to push hardware limits, the Ally X serves as a benchmark for whether less powerful handhelds can keep pace, at least until the next wave of handhelds hits the market later this year.
The Best Handheld Gaming PC### Asus Asus ROG Ally X
7With double the battery life and significantly faster memory, the Asus ROG Ally X has cemented its position as the premier handheld gaming PC on the market. See it at Best BuyCan the Asus ROG Ally Handle Doom: The Dark Ages?
Before diving into the game, ensure your chipset is up to date. Updating on the ROG Ally X is straightforward: access Armoury Crate from the bottom right menu button, click the cogwheel at the top, and navigate to the Update Center. Look for the AMD Radeon Graphics Driver update, and if it's not listed, hit Check for Updates. Once the RC72LA update is available, select Update All.
For optimal testing, I connected the Ally X to an outlet and set it to Turbo Operating Mode (30W) to maximize performance. I also maxed out the vRAM allocation to Texture Pool Size in the in-game graphics menu at 4,096 megabytes, far above the default 2,048. Given the Ally X's 24GB of RAM (with 16GB usable), this adjustment provided ample headroom even at the Ultra Nightmare setting.
All tests were conducted without resolution scaling, and I explored each graphics preset with dynamic resolution, though the results mirrored those at 720p, as the target frame rate remained unattainable, causing dynamic resolution to default to 720p.
Doom: The Dark Ages ROG Ally X PerformanceUltra Nightmare, 1080p15fpsUltra Nightmare, 720p24fpsNightmare, 1080p16fpsNightmare, 720p24fpsUltra, 1080p16fpsUltra, 720p24fpsHigh, 1080p16fpsHigh, 720p26fpsMedium, 1080p17fpsMedium, 720p30fpsLow, 1080p20fpsLow, 720p35fpsTo assess performance, I repeatedly played the opening sequence of Doom: The Dark Ages' second mission, Hebeth, which throws players into intense action, challenging the hardware with its effects and particles. The results were underwhelming.
At 1080p, Doom: The Dark Ages on the Ally X delivered an average of 15fps on Ultra Nightmare, rendering it unplayable. Lowering the settings to Nightmare, Ultra, and High only marginally improved performance, averaging 16fps, while Medium yielded 17fps. Even at Low settings, the game averaged just 20fps, still short of smooth gameplay. Clearly, 1080p is not feasible regardless of the graphics preset.
At 720p, the game performed slightly better but remained subpar. Ultra Nightmare, Nightmare, and Ultra averaged 24fps, while High reached 26fps. While these are not ideal, they might be tolerable for those determined to play Doom: The Dark Ages on a handheld. Only at Medium settings did the game hit the 30fps mark, making it playable, with Low settings pushing the frame rate to 35fps.
Asus ROG Ally X Isn’t Ready for Doom: The Dark Ages
As much as I appreciate handheld gaming PCs and the Asus ROG Ally X, it's clear that current hardware struggles with the demands of Doom: The Dark Ages. Achieving the minimum playable 30fps is only possible at 720p on Medium and Low settings.
Steam Deck users should not expect better results, given its lower specifications compared to the Ally X. Even on Valve's device, you'll likely be limited to playing at 800p on Low settings to reach 30fps—a scenario that applies to all current-generation handhelds.
However, there's hope on the horizon. The next generation of mobile chipsets, such as the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme expected later this year, could change the game. Rumors suggest it might power the Asus ROG Ally 2, and there are even whispers of an Xbox-branded model. We'll have to wait and see how these new devices handle demanding titles like Doom: The Dark Ages.
