Doom Eternal PC build guide - A shrine to the Slayer

Published , by Chris Jarrard

With the hotly-anticipated release of Doom Eternal right around the corner, we at Shacknews felt compelled to get into the demon-slaying spirit and whip up a Doom Slayer-themed PC build that will have the beef to deliver lightning-fast frame rates at the highest settings and a visual style that will elicit devilish smiles. 

Way back in 2016, id Software’s Doom revival managed to sneak up on lots of folks who were not ready for the insane speed and chaos that the game provides. While the console versions of Doom 2016 were technical marvels in their own right, the PC version of the game is capable of providing a more intense experience thanks to more powerful hardware and additional visual flourishes provided by the team at id Software.

For Doom Eternal, the development team is upping the ante with larger levels, more detail, and the inclusion of HDR output. The sequel is going to be bigger and badder in every way. While Doom 2016 is famous for the airtight optimization that allowed it to perform well on modest hardware, Doom Eternal’s upgrades will necessitate some additional power. 

Doom Eternal Doom Slayer Shrine build

The following build will provide enough headroom to run the game at max settings at resolutions of 4K or higher while allowing 1440p users to reach high frame rates that will pair perfectly with 144Hz monitors. Not simply a collection of the fastest or most-expensive parts available, this build offers a big helping of raw computing power while leaving enough in the budget to procure some aesthetic embellishments (of the demon-slaying variety).

The part list:

AMD Ryzen 3000 Series R7 3700X CPU

At the heart of any gaming PC build is the CPU. While Doom 2016 was notable for getting excellent performance out of mid-range and budget-tier CPUs, Doom Eternal's larger levels and increased complexity will surely need more power from your processor. For anyone buying a gaming PC in 2020, some thought needs to be put into the expected lifespan of the build. The next generation of consoles are expected to be on store shelves by year’s end and both are likely to be using 8-core/16-thread Ryzen CPUs. If you have any aspirations of using this DoomSlayer shrine for the next few years, having a processor that meets or exceeds the specifications for console games is a must. The Ryzen R7 3700X is a bit like the processor expected to power the consoles, except it runs much faster. It has enough juice to run any current game, even at high frame rates and its thread count will keep it relevant for all the advanced game software on the horizon.

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MSI MEG X570 ACE Motherboard

All the parts of your build need a board to attach to and the MSI MEG X570 ACE has what it takes to be the centerpiece of a demon-killing shrine. It makes use of AMD’s new Ryzen X570 chipset, allowing for expanded RAM compatibility and overclocking headroom thanks to its power delivery design. It comes with 3 m.2 slots for your NVME storage needs and has a variety of high-speed connectors, including a front panel header for the USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C port on the NZXT case. This port allows lightning fast transfer speeds and power delivery much higher than typical USB 3.1 Type C ports. Also included is the newest Intel-based Wifi chipset for internet and Bluetooth controller needs. The onboard 2.5G ethernet port will also keep this motherboard relevant for the long run. Built-in RGBs allow for further customization of the build’s final look.

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32GB G.Skill TridentZ RGB 3600MHz RAM

Nothing special here — just a 32GB kit of RAM that is on the MSI X570 Ace QVL list (ensuring full compatibility). The 3600MHz clock speed is the sweet spot for Ryzen 3000-series CPUs, allowing them to perform their best. Why 32GB? The new consoles are expected to carry 16GB of RAM when they launch later this year and RAM is relatively cheap right now. Why not give yourself some headroom while the market prices are favorable? The RGB lights on the RAM heat spreaders will help to provide some diabolical ambiance to the inside of the case.

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NZXT Kraken Z63 280mm AIO CPU Cooler

It borders on prohibitively expensive, it’s maximum cooling performance can be bested by a few competing products, and its radiator eats up a sizable amount of the case’s interior space. The NZXT Kraken X63 isn’t the perfect cooler for everyone, but it is the perfect cooler for this build. Fitting snugly into the front intake of the NZXT H510 Elite case, its radiator can be fed by the RGB fans and its unobtrusive pump header allows the RGB RAM heatsink to be seen clearly. The USB-controlled cooler can be perfectly synchronized to the built-in case lighting for a clean, cohesive look. Undoubtedly, the magic of this cooler resides in the pump cover and its 2.36-inch LCD display. It can be configured to show temperatures, time, and frame rates, but the real fun is that the included software allows animated gifs to be loaded onto the screen. Does the idea of having a gif of the 1993 Doom Slayer pacing around inside your case sound cool? What about a gif of the Slayer’s 1993 face with eyes peering left and right? The possibilities are nearly endless.

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NZXT H510 Elite Matte Black Case 

Picture credit: ryansalami at PCPartPicker
Picture credit: ryansalami at PCPartPicker

The case is the house that holds the shrine. The folks at NZXT have perfected the design that began with the legendary S340 and evolved it into one of the best PC chassis options on the market. It has tempered glass on the side and front panels to show off the innards. A pair of NZXT Aer RGB fans are included behind the front panel glass and the rest of the chassis has RGB LED lighting pre-wired. All of the lights work with the same NZXT CAM software that controls the Kraken Cooler. The included power supply shroud keeps cable clutter out of sight and the cable management bar that runs vertically through the case ensures that your build will look clean from all angles.

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MSI Gaming X RTX 2070 Super GPU

Any PC build worth its salt needs a strong GPU. The MSI Gaming X RTX 2070 Super has the beef to drive Doom Eternal at 1440p with high frame rates or 4K at 60Hz. It can provide variable refresh rate output to both G-Sync and Fresync monitors with its DisplayPort outputs and features customizable RGB lighting, so it can be integrated cleanly into the rest of the build. The Twin Frozr design has been around for years and is proven to keep GPUs running cool and quiet. Id Software has already spoken publicly about adding ray tracing support into Doom Eternal post-launch. If you want that visual upgrade, you’ll need a GPU that can handle the load, and this MSI RTX 2070 Super is just such a card.

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ASUS ROG Strix 750 Gold PSU

Any enthusiast build needs a quality power supply. It is the one part of a build that is tasked with supplying clean power to all the other expensive parts. You cannot skimp here. The ASUS ROG Strix 750 Gold is based on a Seasonic design and has more than enough juice to power this demonic shrine. It will run cool and quiet in the NZXT H510 Elite case and has plenty of ports and cables to allow for future expansion.

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CableMod ModMesh Pro Blood Red Cables

If it wasn’t apparent already, the curb appeal of this build is very important. It doesn’t make much sense to combine so many great-looking parts and then fail to carry through on that quality for the last mile by using the ugly included PSU cables to plug into the motherboard’s 24-pin ATX slot and the dual 8-pin slots on the GPU. The set of blood red cables by CableMod is designed specifically for use with the ASUS ROG PSU listed above. They plug directly into the unit and take the place of the stock cabling. The included cable combs will ensure that the thick, sleeved cabling looks fantastic in the build.

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McFarlane Toys Doom Slayer Figure

This is the pièce de résistance of the visual customization of the Doom Eternal shrine build. Standing around seven inches tall, this incredibly detailed Doom Slayer figure will live inside the case, sitting atop the aluminum backplate on the GPU. It comes with an optional double-barreled Supershotgun and extended arm blade that looks cool as hell. There are 22 points of articulation so you can get just the right look.

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Doom Desk Mat/Mousepad

How can you expect to kill thousands of demons if you don’t have a reliable surface for your mouse? This oversized desk mat will hold both your keyboard and mouse while offering a smooth, consistent surface for quick-twitch headshots. It doesn’t hurt that it looks awesome, either.

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For all the latest news and information on the game, be sure to refer to our Doom Eternal hub page. You’ll find an ever-growing selection of guides and other content that will make your time with the game more enjoyable. Good luck with those demons.