Doom Eternal GPU performance. UPDATE: low quality testing on older GPUs

[Humbug]

This is the follow up to the acclaimed 2016 game. Doom Eternal by id software uses the idtech 7 engine. Graphics pipeline is natively Vulkan based, no fallback option for older DirectX or OpenGL versions. id software has developed a good reputation for being extremely technically proficient, the John Carmack legacy is still alive in the company. Their games tend to perform smoothly while looking good and making the most of available resources.

 

Doom Eternals graphics are a step up from the previous entry. Please note the below benchmarks are absolutely maxed out, so you should be able to get quite a boost by optimizing the settings.

 

Even a 3GB GTX 1060 can do 60fps at 1080p maximum settings. Something like a  Vega56 easily clears 120fps.

 

An RX 5700 or RTX 2060 Super gets very close to 1440p 120fps maximum settings.

 

A Vega 64 or RTX 2060 super can do 4K 60fps maximum settings.

 

At the highest settings the game justifies AMD and Nvidia's move towards 8GB VRAM.

 

note- graphics on youtube always look a bit worse due to video compression.

Source

https://www.techpowerup.com/review/doom-eternal-benchmark-test-performance-analysis/

 

******************

Updated: 28th March 2020: Low Quality Testing on old and budget GPUs

 

Please note that low quality in this game still looks great, you don't lose much visually. Shockingly bad results on Kepler. A former flagship GTX 780ti is losing to an even older low end Radeon HD 7790.

 

https://www.techspot.com/article/2001-doom-eternal-older-gpu-test/

[Shreyas1]

Wow my 1070 still holds up as a 1440p card, even after 4 years of new card launches, etc. I suppose it shows how slowly things have been moving in the gpu space 

[TVwazhere]

Just now, Shreyas1 said:

Wow my 1070 still holds up as a 1440p card, even after 4 years of new card launches, etc. I suppose it shows how slowly things have been moving in the gpu space 

I'd attribute this actually to the efficiency of this specific game. You cant just say "welp, the GPU industry has done nothing to improve their generations" based on one games max settings. 

[Froody129]

Pretty chuffed with how my 980ti is holding up. I bought it used for a good price and it still kicks ass in new games, even on my 1440p 144hz monitor. 

 

From what I've seen this game is optimized really well. Hopefully it becomes the new trend

[Humbug]

6 minutes ago, Froody129 said:

From what I've seen this game is optimized really well. Hopefully it becomes the new trend

I guess unlike id software most developers do not have the expert talent to really optimize graphics, including making the most of a low level API.

[BroliviaWilde]

5 minutes ago, Humbug said:

I guess unlike id software most developers do not have the expert talent to really optimize graphics, including making the most of a low level API.

I'd say in most of those cases(for AAA games at least) it's more of deadlines killing game optimizations, and once game is patched up post release to at least a non broken state, at that point there really isn't any incentive to polish since they've already gotten their money

[williamcll]

On the other side of the spectrum:

 

[SpookyCitrus]

Doom Eternal is very well optimized, it's more of an Arcade style shooter. I personally think that the graphics have not improved much(if at all) since Doom(2016) if I'm being completely honest. Pretty much my only disappointments playing it at launch last night were that the graphics were essentially the same with some things even looking less polished than 2016, and that they changed a lot of mechanics/elements that I enjoyed a lot in 2016, and the changes make this game feel like an older title (which is both good and bad). However even with those two gripes, it's still a fun and enjoyable game. RIP AND TEAR UNTIL IT IS DONE! But I digress, on my rig 2560x1440p 144hz is a breeze, playing on Ultra Nightmare and getting an average of 190fps with no drops. But it's supposed to run that way, it's not at all a surprise to anyone how well it can run, Doom(2016) was the same way, in my opinion them doing minimal graphical improvements and focusing mainly on optimization is what makes it run so well. Most developers don't take the time to optimize their games anywhere close to how id's Doom team does, and that's why I have never really seen Doom(2016) as a great benchmark for testing a GPU or computers, and with how well this game runs on a slew of different hardware, the only real test/benchmark you can use it for is "If this PC can't run Doom(2016) or Doom Eternal it's real shitty" sort of test.

[BuckGup]

35 minutes ago, Humbug said:

I guess unlike id software most developers do not have the expert talent to really optimize graphics, including making the most of a low level API.

People are going to buy a game regardless if it runs super well or not. So it makes sense from their perspective to spend more on a better story and content than better devs 

[RejZoR]

Game runs well and looks alright, but my god it's garbage gameplay wise. You can only carry 16 shotgun shells and 40 machinegun bullets. In a Doom game. Apparently you can upgrade that over time, but that's just asshole design just so they could throw in the stupid chainsaw to refill pathetic ammo capacity. Bought it yesterday, refunded it today. Apparently everything that comes from Bethesda hands is hot garbage these days. Was looking forward for two games this year. Doom Eternal and Cyberpunk 2077. I guess only one game remains to be excited about now...

[Humbug]

14 minutes ago, BuckGup said:

People are going to buy a game regardless if it runs super well or not. So it makes sense from their perspective to spend more on a better story and content than better devs 

Debatable. Being well technically polished certainly is of value to the games reputation, especially on PC.

No doubt games like Assasin's Creed Unity and Batman Arkham Knight took a big sales hit because of bad performance, word gets around.

[BuckGup]

1 hour ago, Humbug said:

Debatable. Being well technically polished certainly is of value to the games reputation, especially on PC.

No doubt games like Assasin's Creed Unity and Batman Arkham Knight took a big sales hit because of bad performance, word gets around.

Right but that's bad performance. If it's average without any glaring bugs people won't look too deep into it. I feel if you are a small studio though it's nice publicity for your games to run extremely well 

[Doobeedoo]

It runs so great. The id Tech 7 engine is simply amazing. The game be it on lowest or higher preset looks great.

[CarlBar]

5 hours ago, RejZoR said:

Game runs well and looks alright, but my god it's garbage gameplay wise. You can only carry 16 shotgun shells and 40 machinegun bullets. In a Doom game. Apparently you can upgrade that over time, but that's just asshole design just so they could throw in the stupid chainsaw to refill pathetic ammo capacity. Bought it yesterday, refunded it today. Apparently everything that comes from Bethesda hands is hot garbage these days. Was looking forward for two games this year. Doom Eternal and Cyberpunk 2077. I guess only one game remains to be excited about now...

 

So just like the first game. Ammo didn't really get plentiful there until very late into the game. And even then it relied more on one specific broken as all hell rune rather than ammo actually being plentiful.

[SpaceGhostC2C]

6 hours ago, TVwazhere said:

I'd attribute this actually to the efficiency of this specific game. You cant just say "welp, the GPU industry has done nothing to improve their generations" based on one games max settings. 

If anything, this tells me that high-framerate, eye-candy gaming is a software issue: we have the hardware for it; do we have the game developers to match?

[xAcid9]

Is it just me or the 2016 Doom graphic look more atmospheric/nicer? 

[RejZoR]

3 minutes ago, valdyrgramr said:

Might have to do with a few factors and the amount of distancing of Carmack.   Carmack made the engine for the game, and started other aspects of the game.   idtech 7, and other aspects of the game was all Tiago Sousa/the guy who made the engine for Crysis and Far Cry.

 

Also, I'm getting a consistent 180 fps on my new MSI 1080p VA monitor with my Radeon VII.

The thing is, if Carmack was in charge of game engine, Doom would be running bleeding edge ray traced engine right now with eye watering fidelity. And you'd probably have to buy a brand new top of the line graphic card to fully enjoy it visual and performance wise. Bethesda on the other hand has never been about bleeding edge. They want to make game look pretty good and still run really well so as many people can buy and enjoy it. Coz that drives up the sales and profits. I like bleeding edge, but I can't argue good balance either. It's been for last several years that games all run super smooth maxed out on GTX 1080Ti which is essentially soon to be 2 generations old graphic card. Years ago even high end cards didn't last for really long and you had to drop details a bit. And same applies to lower end cards. GTX 1060 and RX 570/580 both get over 75fps. 2 generations old mid end cards running just released brand new game at that framerate and details. I can argue crappy gameplay in Doom Eternal, but I can't argue visuals. It looked good on Ultra Nightmare and it apparently runs great even on lower end cards. Would be nice if it had DXR support for some effects, but hey, can't have it all.

[Nowak]

13 hours ago, RejZoR said:

You can only carry 16 shotgun shells and 40 machinegun bullets. In a Doom game.

The good thing is you can upgrade that. Look for crystals.

 

But yeah, I do agree that ammo is too low, especially very early on. Disappointing considering the shotgun used to have 50 shells by default.

[RejZoR]

12 minutes ago, Nowak said:

The good thing is you can upgrade that. Look for crystals.

 

But yeah, I do agree that ammo is too low, especially very early on. Disappointing considering the shotgun used to have 50 shells by default.

Maybe, but seeing Low ammo crap 90% of the time within just 1 hour of gameplay and forcing me to constantly use that stupid chainsaw mechanic to get ammo (why would chainsaw on demons spawn ammo anyway?!) just got so dull and annoying I just couldn't stand the idea I'd have to repeat this stupid mechanic through entire god damn game. Doom 2016 had it too and I only discovered it like in 3/4 into the game and even though I knew it exists I don't think I've used it. It just felt tacky and annoying back then and it just got even worse since they made it mandatory by limiting ammo pool to a pathetic size. And to be honest, I never liked or used chainsaw even in original Doom games decades ago. Only time I even used melee or close range things was that rage powerup where you fisted demons into a pulp with one hit pretty much. Other than that, ranged blasting ftw.

[Nowak]

Just now, RejZoR said:

Maybe, but seeing Low ammo crap 90% of the time within just 1 hour of gameplay and forcing me to constantly use that stupid chainsaw mechanic to get ammo (why would chainsaw on demons spawn ammo anyway?!) just got so dull and annoying I just couldn't stand the idea I'd have to repeat this stupid mechanic through entire god damn game. Doom 2016 had it too and I only discovered it like in 3/4 into the game and even though I knew it exists I don't think I've used it. It just felt tacky and annoying back then and it just got even worse since they made it mandatory by limiting ammo pool to a pathetic size. And to be honest, I never liked or used chainsaw even in original Doom games decades ago. Only time I even used melee or close range things was that rage powerup where you fisted demons into a pulp with one hit pretty much. Other than that, ranged blasting ftw.

Chainsaw in classic Doom was more of a last resort weapon than anything. Anyway, here's something I learned pretty quickly: don't use the full auto mode with the shotgun, because that drains ammo fast. Also, look for upgrade crystals; they are there. I got 20 shotgun shells instead of just 14 now because of them, which still isn't great, mind, but I run out of ammo less after a couple crystals.

[RejZoR]

5 minutes ago, Nowak said:

Chainsaw in classic Doom was more of a last resort weapon than anything. Anyway, here's something I learned pretty quickly: don't use the full auto mode with the shotgun, because that drains ammo fast. Also, look for upgrade crystals; they are there. I got 20 shotgun shells instead of just 14 now because of them, which still isn't great, mind, but I run out of ammo less after a couple crystals.

I can't, I've refunded this pile of shit lol. Might give it another chance when it'll be in a 5€ bargain bin sometime in the future...

[Nowak]

Just now, RejZoR said:

I can't, I've refunded this pile of shit lol. Might give it another chance when it'll be in a 5€ bargain bin sometime in the future...

Fair.

[xAcid9]

21 minutes ago, Jack_of_all_Trades said:

Debatable, some changes work, some dont

The new lighting is brighter and whiter, that's why it feel less atmospheric/immersive to me. 

[Humbug]

 

 

 

[Humbug]

Updated: 28th March 2020: Low Quality Testing on old and budget GPUs

 

Please note that low quality in this game still looks great, you don't lose much visually. Shockingly bad results on Kepler. A former flagship GTX 780ti is losing to an even older low end Radeon HD 7790.

 

https://www.techspot.com/article/2001-doom-eternal-older-gpu-test/