DPI, sensitivity, and eDPI
DPI is a hardware setting — how many counts your mouse reports per inch of physical movement. In-game sensitivity is a software multiplier on those counts. Neither number alone describes how fast you actually turn: 1600 DPI at 0.175 sens and 400 DPI at 0.7 sens are the identical experience. eDPI (effective DPI) is simply the product of the two, which makes settings comparable between players regardless of how they split the multiplication. That's its entire job — a common currency for "how fast is your aim," within one game.
Why cm/360 is the better metric
eDPI has a limit: it's only comparable within a game, because each game applies its own hidden multiplier — the yaw, the degrees of rotation one mouse count produces at sensitivity 1. cm/360 cuts through that: it's the physical distance your hand travels on the pad for a full 360° turn, and it's the number that means the same thing in every game, on every DPI, forever. The formula is pure algebra:
cm/360 = (360 ÷ (yaw × DPI × sens)) × 2.54
Serious players compare cm/360 rather than eDPI precisely because it survives switching games and switching mice. This calculator computes it wherever the game's yaw is publicly documented, and takes a user-entered yaw otherwise — it will not guess.
Typical eDPI ranges by game
There is no "correct" eDPI — but community consensus clusters are real, and knowing whether you're inside or far outside one is useful calibration. These ranges are broad community generics, not prescriptions:
| Game | Common range (eDPI) | Bulk of players | Documented yaw |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valorant | 100 – 400 | 180 – 320 | 0.07 |
| CS2 | 400 – 1400 | 600 – 1000 | 0.022 |
| Apex Legends | 800 – 2400 | 1200 – 1900 | 0.022 |
| Overwatch 2 | 3000 – 7000 | 3500 – 5500 | 0.0066 |
| Fortnite | 32 – 100 (DPI × sens%) | 45 – 80 | user-entered |
The spread between games isn't players behaving differently — it's the yaw multipliers. A Valorant 280 and a CS2 890 are the same physical sensitivity (about 51 cm/360 at the respective yaws), which is exactly the confusion cm/360 dissolves.
What's a "good" eDPI?
The honest answer: whatever lets you both track smoothly and turn 180° without re-gripping, on your mousepad, with your arm-vs-wrist style. Lower sensitivity (higher cm/360) favors precision and micro-corrections; higher favors reaction turns and small desks. Tactical shooters trend low (tracking heads at range), battle royales trend mid (movement plus building/looting), hero shooters trend high (projectile leads and 180 flicks). If you're far outside the bulk range for your game and struggling, sensitivity is a fair suspect; if you're outside it and comfortable, the range doesn't outrank your results.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between DPI and eDPI?
DPI is the mouse's hardware resolution; eDPI is DPI multiplied by in-game sensitivity — the number that actually describes your turn speed within a game. Two players with different DPIs but equal eDPI aim identically.
Why does cm/360 matter more than eDPI?
Because eDPI ignores each game's yaw multiplier, so it can't be compared across games — while cm/360 is a physical measurement that transfers everywhere. If you ever switch games and want your aim to come with you, cm/360 is the number to carry.
Does higher DPI reduce input lag or improve tracking?
Modern sensors are accurate across their DPI ranges, and any latency differences between common DPI steps are far below human perception. What matters is the eDPI product and, at very low DPI (400 and below), slightly coarser cursor granularity — which some players actually prefer. Pick a DPI, dial sensitivity to your target eDPI, and stop worrying about it.
Why won't this tool convert to some games automatically?
Because a clean conversion requires both games' yaw values, and not every game documents one publicly (some use percentage curves or acceleration options that break the simple formula). Where the math can't be derived honestly, the tool asks you to enter the yaw rather than baking in a guess that would silently mis-convert your aim.