Gaming Mouse Sensitivity Calculator
Convert your mouse sensitivity between games or DPI settings while keeping your physical aim the same. Essential when switching hardware or trying a new game without relearning muscle memory.
About this calculator
Mouse sensitivity in games is determined by two factors working together: the hardware DPI (dots per inch) setting on your mouse, and the in-game sensitivity multiplier. The effective sensitivity — how far your crosshair moves per inch of physical mouse movement — is proportional to DPI × in-game sensitivity. When you change your DPI, you can maintain the same feel by solving for the new in-game sensitivity: targetSensitivity = (currentDPI × currentSensitivity) / targetDPI. This ensures your eDPI (effective DPI) stays constant. eDPI = DPI × in-game sensitivity is the universal metric competitive players use to compare setups across different hardware configurations. Keeping your eDPI constant means one physical inch of mouse movement always moves the crosshair the same angular distance, preserving the muscle memory you've built.
How to use
Say you currently play at 800 DPI with an in-game sensitivity of 2.5, giving you an eDPI of 2000. You upgrade your mouse and want to use 1600 DPI. Step 1: Multiply current DPI by current sensitivity — 800 × 2.5 = 2000. Step 2: Divide by the target DPI — 2000 / 1600 = 1.25. Set your new in-game sensitivity to 1.25. Your crosshair will move exactly as before; only the hardware doing the work has changed.
Frequently asked questions
What is eDPI and why do pro gamers use it to compare sensitivities?
eDPI stands for effective DPI and equals DPI multiplied by in-game sensitivity. It's a hardware-agnostic number that describes how fast your crosshair moves per inch of mouse movement. Two players with completely different DPI settings can have identical eDPI values and identical aim feel. Pro gamers publish their eDPI rather than raw settings because it lets anyone replicate the feel regardless of the mouse they own.
How do I convert mouse sensitivity from one game to another?
Different games use different scales for their sensitivity sliders, so a direct number copy rarely works. The correct approach is to find the sensitivity ratio between the two games (many databases list these) and multiply your current sensitivity by that ratio. Alternatively, match your 360° turn distance — the physical centimeters of mouse movement needed to spin your character a full circle — in both games, since that is the true measure of aim feel independent of game engine scaling.
Why does changing DPI feel different even if I adjust in-game sensitivity to compensate?
At lower DPI settings, the mouse sensor samples movement in larger increments, which can introduce a stepping or stuttering effect at slow movements — known as negative acceleration or mouse smoothing artifacts. At very high DPI, sensor noise can cause micro-jitter. Mathematically, eDPI is preserved, but the physical tracking quality differs. Most competitive players find a hardware sweet spot between 400–1600 DPI where sensor accuracy is highest, then tune in-game sensitivity around that value.