It happens even to the mightiest PC. A day comes when it’s not equipped to handle the latest games on the market. Perhaps you’ve just fired up DOOM: The Dark Ages and your system can’t quite muster the smooth framerates that you were hoping for. But don’t fret. The hardware you need for building a PC to launch your assault on the forces of hell is available today, and it might even be more affordable than you expect. We’ve pulled together some hardware recommendations tailored to get you rampaging in DOOM: The Dark Ages, and our baseline options will only set you back a total of $1100 (USD). Along the way, we’ll point out some hardware choices that will give you even more long-term value out of your new rig, along with components that’ll unlock access to even more sumptuous visuals.
Pick the perfect platform: CPUs and motherboards
If you’re building a PC on a budget in 2025, the AMD AM4 platform is still a very tempting choice. Gamers continue to trust this last-gen hardware to give them everything that they need and nothing that they don’t. The CPUs from this series are quite frequently on sale, so browse the shelves to find the best deal. At the time of writing, we were most tempted by a discount on the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X, an eight-core, sixteen-thread beast available for only $138 (USD), but it wasn’t the only option to turn our heads.
An affordable CPU deserves an equally affordable motherboard. We’ll point you to the ASUS Prime B550-Plus AC-HES. This ATX motherboard gives you two M.2 slots to build out your gaming library, a PCIe 4.0 x16 slot for your new graphics card, and a pair of ARGB headers to control your lightshow. That’s not bad for only $119.00 (USD).
There is something to be said for planning an upgrade pathway. Many PC builders prefer to purchase parts that give them the opportunity to beef up their rig’s performance down the road with new components. If that’s an important consideration for you, take a moment to look over your AM5 options. AMD’s latest platform will give you considerably more longevity, and the entry-level options are still quite affordable. The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is only $279.00 (USD), and it’s been known to go on sale for much closer to $200 (USD). With its higher max boost clock, it’ll give you snappier gaming performance than the 5700X. Pair it with the $229.00 (USD) TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi, and you’ll get PCIe 5.0 support for both your graphics card and primary M.2 SSD, WiFi 7, massive heatsinks, more and faster USB ports, and a raft of our latest technologies that streamline your building process.
Perhaps you’re looking to experience DOOM: The Dark Ages in detailed, immersive 4K. For that, you’ll not only need a potent graphics card — more on that in a moment — you’ll also be on the hunt for a potent CPU and motherboard platform. For you, we’ll recommend the chip that many reviewers call the best CPU for gaming: the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D. If you also plan to use your PC for intensive content creation, productivity, or AI tasks, consider the top-of-the-line AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D, but for gaming-first rigs the 9800X3D won’t disappoint. Both chips will slot into B850 motherboards, but we think that an X870E board is a smarter play. At $279.99 (USD), the TUF Gaming X870-Plus WiFi isn’t that much more expensive than its little brother, but it offers a beefed-up power solution, more M.2 slots, and faster USB options. For a limited time, you can even get a free copy of DOOM: The Dark Ages with this board, all but eliminating its price premium.
One last recommendation about CPU and motherboard options right now: keep an eye out for combo deals on Intel CPUs and Z890 motherboards. It’s very easy to get substantial savings on this hardware, and we’re talking about the latest chips from Team Blue and the top-end, overclocking-ready motherboards that you need to unleash them. At the time of writing, the TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi was not only shipping with a free game, but also could be bundled with the Intel Core Ultra 7 Processor 265K with a 14% discount on the CPU when you purchase the two components together. Even if you miss this specific deal, keep hunting, because similar combo deals are likely to pop up again.
Keep your CPU cool and comfortable: air coolers and AIO CPU liquid coolers
If you browse a few social media platforms to check out today’s most highly rated PC builds, you’ll see a lot of liquid cooling setups, and for good reason. An AIO CPU liquid cooler is a great fit for the higher-end CPUs in this article, as this type of cooler is well-tuned to keep your CPU’s thermals under control while maintaining low noise levels.
But an AIO also isn’t necessary. In fact, if you’re building a budget gaming PC, you might be better off going with an affordable air cooler so that you’re able to get a more powerful graphics card. Well-reviewed tower-style air coolers can be had for as low as $30.00 (USD), they’re great for boosting the airflow inside your case, and they’re more than capable of cooling a 65W CPU like the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X we listed above.
On the other hand, it doesn’t make a ton of sense to splurge on the best gaming CPU on the market today while pinching pennies on the hardware that keeps it cool. Instead, meet the moment with the TUF Gaming LC III 360 ARGB. It uses a thick radiator, three fans with ARGB lighting, and a powerful pump to keep your CPU at optimal temperatures. It’ll look great in a TUF Gaming build, too.
Dive into next-gen visuals with a graphics card
As with any game, when it comes to determining your average FPS in DOOM: The Dark Ages, nothing matters more than your graphics card. The game’s requirement for ray-tracing-ready GPUs does exclude several-generations-old lines of cards, but since the title is so tightly optimized, it’s also more friendly about VRAM than you might expect. 8GB cards are very much on the menu.
This means that while we do recommend a current-gen graphics card with a full arsenal of ray tracing and FPS-boosting tech, we can confidently recommend a midrange option. The ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB, available for $419.99 (USD), can muster 70+ FPS in DOOM: The Dark Ages at Full HD using Ultra Nightmare settings, and that’s without any upscaling wizardry applied. It’ll handle 1440p, too, with an assist from DLSS and a little fine-tuning of the graphics options. One quick tip: look for the setting in the game’s graphics menu for texture pool size. Reducing the pool size to its minimum setting can have a big performance impact for 8GB cards.
Admittedly, not all games on the market are quite as forgiving about VRAM capacity as DOOM: The Dark Ages. If you’d prefer an option that offers more GDDR7, consider the TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5070 OC Edition 12GB. It’s a great choice for gamers with 1440p monitors, as it can offer 60+ FPS at that resolution using Ultra Nightmare settings even before you enable DLSS. Its bolstered VRAM and world-class TUF cooling solution might well mean that you get even more years of gameplay out of your investment.
DOOM: The Dark Ages looks glorious on a 4K gaming monitor. Since 4K involves four times as many pixels as Full HD, you do need a beastly graphics card to achieve a high frame rate at this resolution. The TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5070 Ti OC Edition 16GB will get you there with an assist from DLSS, but an RTX 5080 should be very tempting for 4K gamers. With additional horsepower under the hood, this GPU makes it look effortless to play the latest games at a stunning 4K resolution. We even offer a special version of the ROG Astral GeForce RTX 5080 built to celebrate DOOM: The Dark Ages. The ROG Astral GeForce RTX 5080 OC DOOM Edition graphics card dazzles with a green-and-gold colorway, DOOM Slayer artwork on the backplate, and fans modeled after the Shield Saw, and it’s available at the Bethesda Gear store for a limited time.
Pick your power level
When it comes time to select a power supply, there’s a lot of information to sort through. What wattage do you need? What’s a good efficiency rating? What does ATX 3.1 bring to the table? Which power supplies are quieter than others?
Click here for a detailed rundown of what to look for in a new power supply, but here are some quick recommendations. First off, get a unit that’s ATX 3.1 compatible and PCIe 5.1 ready so that you have a seamless experience with a next-gen graphics card. Second, target an 80 PLUS Gold efficiency rating at minimum, because units with a lesser rating aren’t cheap enough to warrant your attention. Use our handy PSU calculator to determine what wattage you’ll need based on your targeted CPU and GPU. Finally, don’t be shy about rounding up a wattage tier for improved headroom and efficiency.
Focusing on the parts we’ve recommended today: if our PSU calculator says you need 750W or less, grab the ASUS Prime 750W Gold PSU. Only $119.99 (USD) at the ASUS store, this capable little unit gives you everything you need, and it boasts an eight-year warranty, too. If you’re selected a more powerful graphics card that needs a higher-wattage CPU, go for the TUF Gaming 1000W Gold. It’s less than $200 (USD) and it’s GeForce RTX 50 Series ready.
Find the right memory kit and storage drive
For your memory kit and storage drives, we’ll offer some general recommendations rather than specific picks. Partly that’s because there’s a wide range of highly reputable manufacturers in these fields, and it wouldn’t be fair to pick a favorite.
But there’s also an incredible number of deals going on right now with memory and storage. Time and again while researching component options at Newegg and Amazon for this article, we spotted motherboards, CPUs, and graphics card models that offered a free memory kit or SSD with your purchase. If you’re not dead set on a specific manufacturer or product line, you can easily shave $100 to $150 off the total price of your build by hunting for combo deals.
Let’s start with storage. PCIe 5.0 drives are your premier options. You’ll pay a bit more for them, but their performance in storage-sensitive workloads is exceptional. PCIe 4.0 drives give you the best bang for your buck. Regarding capacity, builders on a budget should start with a 1TB M.2 SSD. But if you can spend a little more, you won’t regret your decision. Today’s games demand a sizable chunk of space, and it’s no fun when you have to uninstall your old favorites just so you can check out the latest title. 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSDs offer twice as much storage space, and they almost never cost twice as much.
When it comes to memory, here’s what you should look for. If you’re buying an AM4 motherboard, you’ll need DDR4 RAM. This memory type is no longer the king of the hill, so you don’t have quite as many options as you used to. But what’s available is very affordable. You can find a blinged-out 2x8GB kit with RGB LEDs aplenty for less than $50 (USD). If you don’t mind a kit with a style that’s all business, you can get one for even cheaper.
If you’re shopping for a B850 or X870 motherboard, on the other hand, you’ll be looking for DDR5 RAM. At the moment, most enthusiasts prefer DDR5-6000 RAM for AMD systems, as it’s the highest-speed memory that you can reliably run in a low-latency 1:1 mode with AMD CPUs. For long-term value, go for a 2x16GB kit at minimum. If you have the budget to play with, look for a kit with low CAS latency. CL28 or even CL26 options aren’t hard to find, and they’re a great fit with a Ryzen CPU.
Shopping for memory for your Intel Z890 motherboard? This platform can handle high-speed memory kits without any fuss, so don’t settle for baseline speeds. A 2x16GB DDR5-7200 kit doesn’t cost that much more, and 2x16GB DDR5-8000 kits are well within the reach of enthusiasts, too.
Wrap it all up with a stylish PC case
There are some practical considerations to keep in mind as you’re buying a PC case, like making sure that it has enough space for your selected motherboard, graphics card, and cooling hardware, but its aesthetics are just as important. You’ll spend more time looking at your PC case than any other component in your build, so grab one that offers the style that you’re looking for.
For a straightforward case that sports a modern look, check out the ASUS A31. Available in black or white with color-coordinated cables, the A31 puts a panoramic spotlight on your gear with its tempered glass side panels on the front and side. It’s spacious enough for even the largest graphics cards in our selection, and it offers a minimalist aesthetic flourish with its 8° angled base. That’s a lot of value for only $89.99 (USD). You will need some fans for this chassis. When you’re building in a panoramic case, reverse airflow models give you the best combination of performance and aesthetics, so we’ll point you to a three-pack of the TUF Gaming TR120 ARGB Reverse fans.
One of our favorite cases to recommend for novice PC builders is the TUF Gaming GT302 ARGB. Also sold in white and black variants, the GT302 comes four extra-thick pre-installed ARGB fans to give you great cooling right out of the box with minimal setup. Its removable top panel simplifies the installation of AIO CPU liquid coolers, and it has more than enough elbow room for large graphics cards, EATX motherboards, beefy tower toolers, and full-size power supplies. For $164.99 (USD), that’s a lot of convenience.
Complete your build with these monitors and peripherals
We’ve focused this article on components that you’d need for building a PC, but a great monitor and precise peripherals are crucial for a great experience in DOOM: The Dark Ages, too.
Right now, we’re offering a special promotion for many of our most coveted pieces of hardware. We’re bundling a game code for DOOM: The Dark Ages with your purchase of a qualifying ASUS PC component, display, peripheral, or router. Click here to learn the full details on eligibility and redemption and to browse the list of eligible products. If your monitor, keyboard, or mouse could use an update, this is a great opportunity to level up your game while also scoring a code for DOOM: The Dark Ages.