DPI and Sensitivity

[Tragik]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't 400 DPI and 2 ingame sens the same as 800 dpi and 1 ingame sens? So why do people list them down as two separate factors when they could just say they have 800 sens? In fact, why do mice need such high dpi when they could just adjust the sensitivity through the ingame settings? I feel like I'm missing something obvious here

[Washell]

It's sort of the difference between optical zoom and digital zoom. A higher dpi (optical zoom) produces a more accurate and smoother result.

At 800 dpi and 1 sens you have 800 steps per inch.
At 400 dpi and 2 sens you have 400 steps per inch.

If you're trying to hit a tiny moving head at a distance, being able to move the mouse 1 pixel at the time instead of 2 can make all the difference.

[tacoshy]

actually it is the otherway around. Most esport proffesionals use low DPI and sensitivity of 2-4 to be more accurate.
To easier explain it;

low DPI = more accurate but you need to move the mouse much more to go from left to right
high DPI = less accurate but you also need to move the mouse less to go from left to right.

same for sensitivity

[Monk]

It's basically f you prefer to move your arm(low DPI) or wrist (high DPI), it's far easier to be accurate on low DPI as there is a far greater margin for error.
The extreme of the low DPI largely comes from counterstrike where the pros know the set recoil pattern, so on a low DPI they can easily mimic it's pattern keeping their guns very accurate, low DPI also makes tracking a player easier due to lower margin for error.

High DPI on the other hand is faster to react and turn as it requires a small click of the wrist rather than moving your whole arm, the downside is a tiny margin for error and makes tracking targets more difficult.

If starting g out, I'd say play low DPI, it makes more sense and tends to make life easier.

For me, I've used high DPI for so long I cannot change, low feels too unnatural for me, when it comes to shooters, this tends to have an effect where I'm very good at the initial shot, but if I miss or need to track the target .... Well that's when I wish I could adjust to low DPI lol

[Revelene]

Sorry Taco, but you are wrong. DPI and sensitivity are two separate things.

DPI is resolution. Higher resolution results in a more accurate read. However, this also affects sensitivity, causing it to move faster and all the faults that come with it doing so.

Sensitivity is merely how fast the cursor moves relative to your DPI.

One thing many do not know about mice is that the sensors have a native resolution. Any value set outside that value can introduce jidder and other issues. This is why it is best to stick to the native resolution, and exactly why a lot people keep their DPI low, as it is at the native resolution or a multiple value. However, some mice handle this better than others.

In the end, it is usually best to set your DPI to the native resolution or a multiple value, then adjust sensitivity in game to preference.

[tacoshy]

Messaggio originale di Revelene:

Sorry Taco, but you are wrong. DPI and sensitivity are two separate things.

DPI is resolution. Higher resolution results in a more accurate read. However, this also affects sensitivity, causing it to move faster and all the faults that come with it doing so.

Sensitivity is merely how fast the cursor moves relative to your DPI.

One thing many do not know about mice is that the sensors have a native resolution. Any value set outside that value can introduce jidder and other issues. This is why it is best to stick to the native resolution, and exactly why a lot people keep their DPI low, as it is at the native resolution or a multiple value. However, some mice handle this better than others.

In the end, it is usually best to set your DPI to the native resolution or a multiple value, then adjust sensitivity in game to preference.

yes this is correct. but lower DPI also result in lower sensitivity. So if you want to be more accurate you need a low DPI with low sensitivity.

[Revelene]

Messaggio originale di tacoshy:

Messaggio originale di Revelene:

Sorry Taco, but you are wrong. DPI and sensitivity are two separate things.

DPI is resolution. Higher resolution results in a more accurate read. However, this also affects sensitivity, causing it to move faster and all the faults that come with it doing so.

Sensitivity is merely how fast the cursor moves relative to your DPI.

One thing many do not know about mice is that the sensors have a native resolution. Any value set outside that value can introduce jidder and other issues. This is why it is best to stick to the native resolution, and exactly why a lot people keep their DPI low, as it is at the native resolution or a multiple value. However, some mice handle this better than others.

In the end, it is usually best to set your DPI to the native resolution or a multiple value, then adjust sensitivity in game to preference.

yes this is correct. but lower DPI also result in lower sensitivity. So if you want to be more accurate you need a low DPI with low sensitivity.

Lower DPI does result in lower sensitivity, but it does not mean that you need to lower both DPI and sensitivity to be accurate.

Accuracy in game entirely depends on the user. Some like low sensitivity, some like it high. But don't confuse in game accuracy with sensor accuracy.

DPI is not directly relative to sensitivity, rather a resolution. And it is best to keep at the native resolution, or a multiple of it. Higher dpi means more information, which means higher accuracy (sensor measurement).

One could have 400 dpi and 2 sensitivity, while another has 800 dpi and 1 sensitivity, and it would effectively be the same. Though, the latter has more information to work with and will skip less. However, keep in mind that sensitivity value from game to game is not always the same.

One major issue with running a low dpi is pixel skipping. Adjusting sensitivity higher, rather than adjusting the resolution, can make this issue even worse. Running a low, native resolution can result in pixel skipping, if the sensitivity is too high. If you'd like to test this yourself, try running CSGO with 400 dpi and 5 sensitivity vs 2000 dpi and 1 sensitivity. You'll find that the former will skip pixels and is not as accurate.

One of the many reasons why something like 400 DPI and 1 sensitivity is so popular, is due to the CSGO following. Rather than people adjusting based on personal tastes, they set it to what "the pros use" and adjust to using it. The same would happen with higher sensitivity. It is merely because of the following, rather than a legitimate reason, just like how "pros" use small screens, 4:3 ratio, low screen resolution, tilted keyboards, no mouse pad, shades, ect... But in reality, it is all preference and many professional gamers actually have already debunked these gaming myths by using what they feel comfortable with, rather than following silly myths from a cult like following.

In the end, it is about preference. How accurate in game someone is is not directly linked to some mythical setting of dpi and sensitivity, but rather based on how the individual uses said settings. I know you are not saying that, but it could be portrayed that you are.

Personally, I keep my DPI at 2000 (multiple of the native resolution) and keep my sensitivity in games relatively low (at 1 or similar setting). I let my hand handle how fast or slow I need to move, rather than get in situations where I cannot turn around fast enough. I also set a dpi toggle to 800 dpi (a multiple of the native resolution) just in case, usually for long range sniping situations, but typically it doesn't get used.