Between the cheapest and the most expensive mice today, there are many differences. We are talking about stuff like build quality, weight, design all the way to comfort and many other things that can make a big difference in user experience.
But there is one thing that all mice have in common, and that is DPI or mouse sensitivity or how most of the people call it ¨mouse speed¨.
In this article, we will explain the 5 most common things about mouse DPI.
What’s Mouse DPI?
Mouse DPI stands for ‘’ dots per linear inch’’, so if your mouse is, for example, set on 400 DPI (a standard in FPS games), that means that if you move your mouse for one inch (2.54cm), your pointer will move for 400 pixels.
The higher you set your DPI, the more sensitive will your mouse be. So if you set it really high, one little touch could move your pointer from one to the other end of your screen. Most of the mice today (cheap ones) have around 1600 DPI, while gaming mice have around 4000, and the high end has 16000 DPI.
DPI is largely used as a manipulation tool in the mice market, to have better sales, because mouse DPI is very important to FPS game players.
Is Higher DPI Better for FPS Games?
It is quite the opposite actually. The lower DPI, the better gaming experience in FPS games. Why? Well, because having a lower DPI makes you more precise, especially when you are using a sniper in games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO).
Higher DPI is still good in some cases, like when you play Overwatch. Let’s say you are playing a certain champion, for example, Lucio. You will benefit from higher DPI because you have a lot of wall riding and making turns that are quite tight, which is very important in his role.
So to answer this question it depends on which game or which champion do you play.
What is a Good DPI for a Mouse?
There is no good or best DPI to use on a mouse because it’s a personal preference. Although, the most common ones are 400, 800, 1600, 2400 DPI.
The best thing you can do is to try a lot of different settings and then compare them, and see which DPI setting you are the most comfortable.
Most professional gamers use either 400 or 800 DPI and regular people use 1600 and 2400 for web browsing and other similar things.
I should also mention that gamers who use a very low DPI need a huge mouse pad because they are swinging with their entire arm to use their mouse, while they have guaranteed precision because of that.
How do You Check or Change DPI on a Mouse?
Changing mouse DPI on a mouse is very easy and there are two ways to do it.
One of them is the button that is on most of the mice that can make the DPI higher or lower. This button is usually located above the mouse scroll wheel.
Another way to change your mouse DPI is to download and use the manufacturer’s software on which you can easily change your DPI to the exact number that will satisfy your needs.
I own a Logitech G502 HERO, so I need to use Logitech G HUB software to change my mouse settings. You can’t use the same program as me if you don’t own a Logitech mouse. In order to change your mouse settings, you need to download the software from your mouse manufacturer.
Other Things About DPI
Other names for DPI are CPI (counts per inch) and MPS (mickeys per second), but they are older terms so they are not used as much these days. Regardless, they all point to one thing, and that thing is mouse sensitivity.
Conclusion
Most mice have customizable DPI choices to assess the mouse’s hardware-level sensitivity. The ideal DPI number is personal for everyone. You should try different ones and see which one you like, and which suits you the best.
A mouse with a high maximum DPI as 16000 is not necessarily better than a mouse with lower maximum DPI, it only offers more settings to customize it. So, keep that in mind while buying a new mouse.
