Does DOOM: The Dark Ages require a ray tracing GPU even on minimum settings?

Yes. Unlike most titles that offer ray tracing as an optional feature, DOOM: The Dark Ages requires a hardware ray tracing-capable GPU at every quality level. Cards without dedicated RT cores — such as any NVIDIA GTX or AMD RX 5000 series and older — cannot run the game at all.

Is an SSD mandatory, and how much space does the game need?

An SSD is required at both minimum and recommended specifications; the engine relies on fast storage for seamless level streaming and cannot fall back to a mechanical hard drive. The game itself occupies 100 GB, and id Software recommends installing it on a 512 GB or larger drive to leave room for system files and future updates.

Can I Run DOOM: The Dark Ages on GTX 1660 Super?

DOOM: The Dark Ages FPS Benchmark and Performance Analysis

GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1660 SuperGame: DOOM: The Dark AgesUpdated: Jul 1, 2026

Based on our model, NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super is capable of running DOOM: The Dark Ages. Expect roughly 43 FPS at 1080p high; settings tuning will be important. DOOM: The Dark Ages can behave very differently depending on settings and GPU headroom. This estimate shows where NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super lands and how to tune it for smoother gameplay.

DOOM: The Dark Ages FPS Benchmarks on GTX 1660 Super

Resolution	Settings Preset	Avg FPS	1% Low FPS	Verdict
1080p	Competitive (Low)	54 FPS	36 FPS	Playable
1080p	High	43 FPS	29 FPS	Low
1440p	High	26 FPS	17 FPS	Low
1440p	Ultra	20 FPS	15 FPS	Low
4K	High	15 FPS	15 FPS	Low

Benchmarks are estimated by our performance engine. Actual results may vary.

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Best Settings for DOOM: The Dark Ages on GTX 1660 Super

43+FPS1080p Competitive

Display Mode: Fullscreen
Resolution: 1920×1080
V-Sync: Disabled
Texture Quality: Medium
Shadow Quality: Low
Anti-Aliasing: FXAA
Effects Quality: Low
Post-Processing: Low
Ambient Occlusion: Disabled

Performance Analysis

At 1080p high, our model places NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super near 43 FPS in DOOM: The Dark Ages. At 1440p, that typically translates to around 26 FPS with similar quality targets. This places the card in the entry tier for this title, with a unplayable experience profile. NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super is below the ideal target for DOOM: The Dark Ages; lowering settings is recommended for a stable experience.

DOOM: The Dark Ages mandates hardware ray tracing at every quality tier, pushing GPU requirements well above what the target framerates alone would imply — even the minimum spec requires an RTX 2060 Super or RX 6600. The engine is unusually CPU-light due to highly parallelized AI threading, meaning GPU and VRAM are nearly always the bottleneck. Large medieval environments and high-resolution texture streaming demand 8–10 GB of VRAM and fast SSD storage at all spec levels.

NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super supports DLSS 3 Super Resolution. Enabling DLSS Quality mode in DOOM: The Dark Ages can recover 20–35% frame rate with minimal visual difference, which is especially useful if you're targeting 60+ FPS at 1440p.

Use low/competitive settings and performance upscaling to keep gameplay smooth.
VRAM headroom is tight (6GB); avoid ultra textures to prevent hitching.
Keep ray tracing disabled for stable FPS.
Disable ray tracing and lower effects density

NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super lands in a unplayable position for DOOM: The Dark Ages. Dialing in the right preset makes a noticeable difference at this performance level.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does DOOM: The Dark Ages require a ray tracing GPU even on minimum settings?: Yes. Unlike most titles that offer ray tracing as an optional feature, DOOM: The Dark Ages requires a hardware ray tracing-capable GPU at every quality level. Cards without dedicated RT cores — such as any NVIDIA GTX or AMD RX 5000 series and older — cannot run the game at all.
Is an SSD mandatory, and how much space does the game need?: An SSD is required at both minimum and recommended specifications; the engine relies on fast storage for seamless level streaming and cannot fall back to a mechanical hard drive. The game itself occupies 100 GB, and id Software recommends installing it on a 512 GB or larger drive to leave room for system files and future updates.