What is a eDPI?

eDPI, or effective Dots Per Inch, is the true measure of your in-game sensitivity, calculated by multiplying your mouse’s DPI setting by your in-game sensitivity value. It provides a standardized way to understand and compare your actual cursor speed across different games and hardware setups, ensuring consistency and helping gamers fine-tune their aim based on a single meaningful number rather than two separate and often misleading metrics.

How to Calculate eDPI

Calculating your eDPI (effective Dots Per Inch) is a simple but crucial process for dialing in your perfect sensitivity. It requires just two pieces of information and basic multiplication.

The eDPI Formula

The formula is straightforward:

eDPI = Mouse DPI × In-Game Sensitivity

This calculation combines your hardware setting (DPI) with your software setting (in-game sens) into one single, meaningful number that represents your true sensitivity.

Step-by-Step Calculation

Step 1: Find Your Mouse DPI
This is the setting configured in your mouse’s software (e.g., Logitech G Hub, Razer Synapse, SteelSeries GG). It’s often a number like 400, 800, 1600, or 3200.

Step 2: Find Your In-Game Sensitivity
Open the settings menu in your game of choice and locate the sensitivity slider for hip-fire/aim-down-sights (ADS). This is usually a decimal number (e.g., 0.5, 2.0, 5.0).

Step 3: Multiply the Two Numbers
Take your Mouse DPI and multiply it by your In-Game Sensitivity. The result is your eDPI.

Practical Examples

Game	Mouse DPI	In-Game Sensitivity	Calculation	eDPI
Valorant	800	0.45	800 × 0.45	360
CS:GO	400	2.0	400 × 2.0	800
Call of Duty	1200	6.0	1200 × 6.0	7,200
Overwatch 2	1600	3.25	1600 × 3.25	5,200
Apex Legends	1000	1.8	1000 × 1.8	1,800

Why Calculating eDPI Matters

• Consistency: Your eDPI is your “true sensitivity.” If you know your perfect eDPI is 800 from CS:GO, you can replicate that same feeling in any other game by adjusting the new game’s sensitivity slider to achieve an eDPI of 800.
• Troubleshooting: It helps you understand why your aim might feel off when switching between games or mice. You might have the same DPI, but a different in-game sens, resulting in a different eDPI.
• Comparison: It allows you to accurately compare sensitivities with other players. Comparing just DPI or just in-game sensitivity is meaningless without the full context.

In short: Find your two numbers and multiply them. That’s it. You now have the key to consistent aim across all your games.

What is the BEST eDPI to Use?

The honest and most accurate answer is: There is no single “best” eDPI for everyone. The ideal eDPI is a deeply personal setting that depends on your physiology, game genre, playstyle, and mousepad space.

However, we can identify strong, community-tested ranges that serve as perfect starting points for finding your best eDPI.

Recommended eDPI Ranges by Game Genre

The chart below provides a visual guide to the typical eDPI ranges preferred by players in different genres, from low-sensitivity precision to high-speed navigation.

Explanation of the Ranges:

• Tactical FPS (Low eDPI): Games like Valorant and CS:2 reward precise, small-angle flicks and crosshair placement. A low eDPI prevents overflicking and allows for micro-adjustments. Pros in these games famously use entire mousepads to do a 360° turn.
• Traditional FPS (Medium eDPI): Games like Call of Duty or Apex Legends require a balance of precision aiming and the ability to quickly turn 180° to track fast-moving enemies or manage close-quarter combat.
• MOBA/MMO (Higher eDPI): Games like League of Legends or World of Warcraft prioritize quickly moving the cursor across the screen to click abilities, navigate menus, and manage cameras. Pixel-perfect precision is less critical than speed and accessibility.

How to Find Your Perfect eDPI: The Swipe Test

Stop guessing and use this proven method:

1. Start with a Benchmark: Set your mouse to a standard DPI (like 800 or 1600) and choose a middle-of-the-road in-game sensitivity. This gives you a baseline eDPI (e.g., 800 DPI * 0.5 sens = 400 eDPI).
2. The Swipe Test:
   • In your game, find a specific point on a wall to aim at.
   • Place your mouse at one end of your mousepad.
   • In one smooth, comfortable motion, swipe your mouse to the other end of your pad.
   • Observe how far your character turned.
3. Adjust Based on the Result:
   • Ideal: The swipe should let you do a comfortable 180-degree or just over 180-degree turn. This means you can always turn to face a threat behind you in one motion.
   • Too Slow: If you can’t do a 180-degree turn, increase your in-game sensitivity (which raises your eDPI).
   • Too Fast: If you are doing multiple 360-degree turns, you have way too much speed. Lower your in-game sensitivity (which lowers your eDPI).
4. Refine Through Play: Use this new sensitivity for several games. Your goal is to see if you can track targets smoothly and flick to them accurately. Make micro-adjustments from there.

Pro Tip: Once you find an eDPI you like, stick with it for at least a week. Muscle memory takes time to develop. Constantly changing your settings will prevent you from building the consistency needed for improvement.

FAQs: eDPI Calculator

Q1: What is an eDPI calculator?

A: An eDPI calculator is a simple tool that automates the formula eDPI = Mouse DPI × In-Game Sensitivity. Instead of doing the math yourself, you input your two numbers, and it instantly calculates your effective sensitivity, giving you a single, standardized number to use for consistency across games.

Q2: Why do I need to calculate my eDPI? Can’t I just use my DPI?

A: No. Using only your DPI is misleading because it ignores your in-game sensitivity setting. Two players with the same DPI can have wildly different actual sensitivities if their in-game sliders are set differently. eDPI combines these two variables into one true measure of your sensitivity, which is essential for replicating your aim feel from one game to another.

Q3: How do I find my in-game sensitivity for the calculator?

A: This value is found in the settings or controls menu of your specific game. It’s often labeled “Sensitivity,” “Look Sensitivity,” or “Hip-Fire Sensitivity.” It’s usually a decimal or whole number (e.g., 0.5, 2, or 6).

Q4: My game has multiple sensitivity settings (e.g., ADS, Scoped). Which one do I use?

A: For the primary eDPI calculation, always use your base “Hip-Fire” or “Look” sensitivity. This is your default sensitivity for moving and aiming. While ADS (Aim Down Sights) and scoped sensitivities are important, they are multipliers of your base sensitivity. The core eDPI metric is always based on the foundational setting.

Q5: I calculated my eDPI. How do I use this number in a different game?

A: This is the main purpose of knowing your eDPI!

1. Take your target eDPI (e.g., 800).
2. Decide on a DPI to use (it’s often best to stick with your usual DPI, like 800 or 1600).
3. Solve for the new in-game sensitivity: In-Game Sensitivity = eDPI / Mouse DPI.
4. Input this new calculated sensitivity into the other game’s settings.

Q6: The calculator gave me a number, but my aim still feels different in another game. Why?

A: While eDPI is the most important factor, a few other things can affect the feel:

• FOV (Field of View): A different FOV can make the same sensitivity feel faster or slower, even if the actual rotation distance is identical.
• Mouse Acceleration: Ensure this is turned OFF in both your OS and game settings.
• Game Engine Differences: Slight variations in how games handle input can create a minor perceptual difference, but the physical rotation per inch will be the same.

Q7: Is there a “best” eDPI number that the calculator can give me?

A: No. An eDPI calculator is a tool for measurement and consistency, not for prescribing a perfect setting. The “best” eDPI is entirely personal and depends on your game, playstyle, and physical setup. The calculator helps you find and keep your preferred sensitivity, whatever it may be.

Q8: Are online eDPI calculators accurate?

A: Yes, because the calculation is a simple multiplication. Any accurate calculator will give you the correct number. Their value isn’t in complex algorithms but in providing a quick, convenient way to perform this essential calculation and sometimes convert sensitivities between games.