Doom: The Dark Ages has finally arrived, and if you're passionate about handheld gaming PCs like I am, you're likely curious whether the Asus ROG Ally X can run it smoothly. While 30fps serves as my baseline for playability, achieving higher frames—particularly 60fps—would be ideal, though unlikely for such a graphically intensive title.
Doom Eternal, the previous installment, was praised for its flawless performance on the Ally. However, expectations for similar results with The Dark Ages should be tempered—this new entry is significantly more demanding.
A Note on the Hardware
The current landscape of PC gaming handhelds offers diverse options, with the Asus ROG Ally X leading the pack. While it shares the AMD Z1 Extreme processor with other premium handhelds, its standout feature is abundant RAM. The device boasts 24GB system memory, with 16GB automatically allocated to the GPU. Crucially, this memory operates at 7,500MHz—significantly faster than competitors—enhancing bandwidth for the Z1 Extreme's integrated graphics.
This positions the ROG Ally X as the ideal testing platform for Doom: The Dark Ages. Its capabilities represent the upper limits of what current handhelds can achieve with demanding games. Until next-gen models arrive later this year, the Ally X serves as a benchmark for whether less powerful devices stand a chance.
The Best Handheld Gaming PC
Asus ROG Ally X
With doubled battery capacity and superior memory speeds, the Asus ROG Ally X currently leads the handheld PC market. Available at Best Buy.
Can the Asus ROG Ally Handle Doom: The Dark Ages?
Before testing, ensure your device has the latest chipset update. On the ROG Ally X, this is simple: Open Armoury Crate (via the bottom-right menu button), select the settings cogwheel, navigate to Update Center, and install the AMD Radeon Graphics Driver update (RC72LA).
For optimal performance, I conducted tests with the device plugged in and set to Turbo Mode (30W). The in-game Texture Pool Size was maximized to 4,096MB (from the default 2,048MB), utilizing the Ally X's 24GB RAM capacity without strain.
All tests maintained native resolution scaling (disabled) and 720p as the baseline. Dynamic resolution testing yielded identical results to 720p, as target frame rates proved unattainable regardless.
| Settings | Performance |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Testing focused on the opening sequence of the second mission (Hebeth), which consistently stresses hardware with intensive effects and particles. The results were eye-opening.
1080p performance proved disastrous, averaging just 15fps on Ultra Nightmare settings—completely unplayable. Even reducing presets showed minimal improvement (16-17fps), with Low settings barely reaching 20fps.
720p yielded better—though still suboptimal—results. Ultra Nightmare through High settings averaged 24-26fps. Playable 30fps was only achievable at Medium settings (720p), with Low pushing to 35fps.
Asus ROG Ally X Isn't Ready for Doom: The Dark Ages
As a handheld gaming enthusiast, it's disappointing to report the Ally X struggles significantly with Doom: The Dark Ages. Playable 30fps requires Medium/Low settings at 720p—a compromise that impacts visual fidelity.
Steam Deck users face even greater challenges, as its hardware can't match the Ally X's capabilities. Current-gen handhelds universally demand 800p/Low settings to approach 30fps.
Future optimism lies with upcoming mobile chipsets. The anticipated AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme—rumored to power devices like the Asus ROG Ally 2 (potentially including an Xbox-branded variant)—may finally unlock playable performance for demanding titles like Doom: The Dark Ages.
