There are a number of things that should be taken into account when selecting a mouse: its sensor, shape, customization options, and whether to go with a wireless or wired model. A feature that tends to be highlighted in the description of these products is the DPI, a technical term that can be difficult to decipher if someone is not that familiar with PC mice.
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What Does DPI Stand For?
DPI stands for “Dots Per Inch,” with “dots” referring to the pixels on a monitor. Essentially, a mouse’s DPI determines the number of pixels the cursor will cover to coincide with a player’s hand movement. The higher the DPI, the more of the screen the cursor will traverse for every inch the mouse is moved. DPI is typically associated with a mouse’s sensitivity.
Is DPI The Same As CPI?
DPI and CPI are often used interchangeably when it comes to gaming mice, although the latter is technically the proper term. CPI refers to a mouse’s “Counts Per Inch,” which is directly connected to the accessory’s sensor and physical movement.
As with DPI, the higher the CPI, the more sensitive the mouse. Therefore, when a mouse with a CPI of 2800 is moved one inch, its cursor will cover 2800 pixels on the screen.
Although they do have their differences, DPI and CPI generally refer to the same thing in the world of computer mice. As an example, the SteelSeries Rival 5 lists CPI rather than DPI.
What Is The Typical DPI?
Office mice tend to have a low DPI between 800-1600. This is more than enough to get the job done if the accessory is not being used for activities like gaming or graphic design.
In relation to gaming mice, DPI can climb into the thousands. For example, the Logitech G502 HERO supports up to 25,600 max DPI. That is, admittedly, an extreme case, but gaming mice tend to reach at least 5000 - 10,000 DPI.
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Does DPI Make A Difference For Gaming?
For casual use, the DPI is not that important; in fact, it is not unusual for the technical details of office mice to omit this information entirely. However, gaming mice tend to heavily advertise their DPI, and that’s because it does make some difference.
Higher DPI tends to be seen as a better option for fast-paced games like twitch shooters. Essentially, players will be able to improve their response time due to the cursor’s faster movement. However, this comes at the cost of accuracy, a price that might not be worth it for every player out there. A low DPI is also a better fit for genres that prioritize precisions like strategy games and MOBAs.
Do You Have To Commit To Just One Level?
The majority of gaming mice seek to remove restrictions as much as possible, and this extends to DPI. Rather than forcing players to stick to a specific sensitivity, most accessories will include a button that instantly switches between DPI levels, covering the entire supported range. The Cooler Master MM720, for instance, has seven levels starting from 400 and concluding at 16000 DPI. High-end options might even come with a program that permits users to set their preferred DPI levels.
What Is eDPI?
Most PC games allow players to change a mouse’s sensitivity, creating what is known as the eDPI. If a mouse has a DPI of 2400 and its in-game sensitivity is set to 0.75, then its eDPI would be 1800. This setting gives players even more freedom, and someone might prefer to set the mouse’s DPI to a low setting like 400 or 800 and then tweak the game’s sensitivity to suit their tastes.
Conclusion
If someone is purchasing a gaming mouse, they should not ignore DPI, but the goal should be to find one that supports as wide of a range as possible. Ultimately, personal preference will dictate what setting a player uses, so having room to maneuver is ideal.
Also, DPI is just one part of the overall package and should not be the only (or primary) factor used for selecting a gaming mouse.
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