Doom: The Dark Ages Now Playable on Steam Deck
When Valve rolled out a preview build of SteamOS 3.5 over the weekend, it unlocked an unexpected surprise: Doom: The Dark Ages, Bethesda’s latest ray-tracing-forward entry in the long-running shooter series, actually launches and runs acceptably on the Steam Deck. By dialing in a few settings and leveraging SteamOS’s updated Linux kernel, community drivers and FSR upscaling, handheld performance lands at a steady 30–40 fps at the device’s native 1280×800 resolution—proof that even a cutting-edge, high-fidelity PC title can squeeze onto Valve’s three-year-old portable hardware.
Performance on the Deck: Low Settings, 30–40 fps
On SteamDeckOS 3.5 (based on Arch Linux, Kernel 5.15 LTS) with the latest Mesa 23.1 RADV Vulkan drivers, Doom: The Dark Ages runs smoothly at “Low” graphics presets. Key observations include:
- Resolution: 1280×800 (native), 60 Hz LCD
- Graphics Preset: Low (all quality sliders at minimum)
- FSR Upscaling Mode: Performance
- Frame Rate: Steady 30–40 fps under typical combat
- CPU Load: ~60–70 percent on four Zen 2 cores (8 threads)
- GPU Load: ~70–80 percent on RDNA 2 with 8 compute units (approx. 1.6 TFLOPS)
- RAM Utilization: ~7–9 GB of 16 GB LPDDR5-5500
Increasing to “Medium” presets causes frequent dips below 30 fps, while “High” settings struggle to break 20 fps, producing stutters that compromise a fast-paced shooter’s responsiveness. Dropping the resolution to 768×480 offers marginal gains—up to 45 fps on “Low”—but the resulting image appears unnaturally pixelated on a 7″ screen and introduces heavy grain.
Hardware and Software Under the Hood
The Steam Deck’s custom AMD APU (codenamed “Aerith”) pairs a Zen 2 CPU (4c/8t, 2.4–3.5 GHz) with an RDNA 2 GPU (8 compute units, up to 1.6 TFLOPS). Combined with 16 GB of unified LPDDR5-5500 memory and a 60 Hz 1280×800 display, it offers a strong mobile gaming foundation—but Bethesda’s id Tech engine pushes modern GPUs with hardware-accelerated ray tracing and volumetric lighting.
SteamOS 3.5 preview includes:
- Linux Kernel 5.15 LTS with scheduler tweaks for gaming workloads
- Mesa 23.1 RADV Vulkan driver optimized for Steam Deck’s APU
- Proton Experimental (v8.0-1) featuring VKD3D-Proton and DXVK 2.0 improvements
- Updated AMD self-signed firmware and power-management patches
These updates collectively improve Vulkan runtime performance, reduce CPU-GPU synchronization overhead and unlock previously broken DX12 titles. In particular, id Software’s port of Doom: The Dark Ages uses a hybrid Vulkan/DX12 middleware that benefits from Proton’s latest translation layers.
Performance Tuning and Optimization Techniques
Steam Deck owners can further refine performance:
- Custom Proton Builds: Some community-driven branches enable aggressive shader caching and async compute prioritization, shaving off microstutters.
- Thermal Controls: Lowering the TDP limit from 15 W to around 10–12 W reduces thermal throttling and keeps clock speeds stable under sustained load.
- Frame Rate Caps: A hard cap at 30 fps via the in-game console or SteamOS compositor yields smoother frame pacing and consistent battery life.
- FSR 2.2 Tuning: Experimenting with “Balanced” mode (instead of Performance) in low-impact scenes can recover image detail without a major frame-rate penalty.
Expert opinion from Valve’s driver team suggests upcoming Mesa 23.3 releases will further enhance asynchronous compute workloads, directly benefiting Vulkan-native engines like id Tech. Meanwhile, Bethesda is reportedly exploring an “Ultra Low” preset tailored to the Deck’s GPU, which could push 40–50 fps at native resolution with minimal visual compromise.
Looking Ahead: Steam Deck’s Future in High-Fidelity Portable Gaming
While a rumored Steam Deck 2 could debut later this year with an RDNA 3-based APU, higher CPU core counts and a 120 Hz OLED panel, today’s Deck proves that current hardware still has untapped potential. Valve’s commitment to open-source drivers and Proton compatibility remains critical, enabling cutting-edge PC titles to run on handheld platforms.
Third-party projects like Decky Loader and custom kernels (e.g., Deck Kernel Patcher) continue to push the envelope, adding features such as dynamic resolution scaling, granular power profiles and plugin support for on-the-fly overclocking. As the Linux gaming ecosystem matures, expect more AAA developers to natively support SteamOS on day one.
Conclusion
Running Doom: The Dark Ages at an acceptable frame rate on Valve’s Steam Deck may have seemed improbable when the title launched with a ray tracing focus. Yet, thanks to SteamOS 3.5, Proton’s Vulkan advances and careful tuning, the aging handheld hardware delivers a surprisingly playable experience. For enthusiasts craving blockbuster shooters on the go, the Deck remains a versatile and evolving platform—one that might yet herald a new era of high-fidelity portable gaming.