What Is eDPI, and What Should Yours Be?

Two players can run wildly different in-game sensitivities and still move the crosshair identically. eDPI is the number that explains why, and the only one worth comparing.

GamingBy Aug 23, 20265 min read
What Is eDPI, and What Should Yours Be? — ListCalc

One multiplication

eDPI = mouse DPI × in-game sensitivity

A mouse set to 800 DPI with a Valorant sensitivity of 0.35 gives an eDPI of 280. That is the entire calculation.

Why the in-game number alone is meaningless

In-game sensitivity is a multiplier. It scales whatever your mouse reports to the computer, and what the mouse reports depends on its DPI setting. Change either one and the result moves.

Consider two players:

Player A runs 400 DPI at 0.7 sensitivity. Player B runs 800 DPI at 0.35.

Both have an eDPI of 280, and both move the crosshair exactly the same distance for the same hand movement. Yet A's sensitivity setting is double B's. If they compared those two numbers in a conversation, they would conclude they play completely differently. They do not.

Where the useful range sits

Among Valorant professionals, most settle somewhere between 150 and 400 eDPI. Counter-Strike lands in similar territory. Games that reward flick shots and fast turns — arena shooters, some Call of Duty modes — sit higher.

The spread within that range is genuine preference. There is no evidence that 200 beats 320 for everyone. What matters more is that you pick one and stop moving it.

Low versus high, honestly

A low eDPI means more physical movement for the same turn. That makes small corrections easier to land, because a given hand tremor translates to less crosshair travel. It is why tactical shooters, where you are making tiny adjustments to a head-level crosshair, skew low.

The cost is real though. Below roughly 200 eDPI you need genuine desk space, and turning 180 degrees becomes a deliberate arm movement rather than a flick. If you are repositioning your mouse mid-fight, your eDPI is too low for your desk.

cm/360 is what actually transfers

eDPI only compares meaningfully within a single game, because every game applies its sensitivity scale differently. The number that survives the move is cm/360 — how far you physically push the mouse to spin a full circle.

If you want the same feel in a new game, match the cm/360 rather than copying the eDPI across.

Then leave it alone

The most common mistake is not choosing a bad number, it is choosing a new one every week. Aim is muscle memory, and muscle memory needs a constant to build against. Pick something inside the sensible range and give it a month before you judge it.

Run your own numbers

eDPI KD Ratio

FAQ

What does eDPI stand for?
Effective dots per inch. It is your mouse DPI multiplied by your in-game sensitivity — 800 DPI at 0.35 sensitivity gives an eDPI of 280.
Why can't I just compare in-game sensitivity?
Because sensitivity is a multiplier applied to whatever your mouse reports. A 0.35 sensitivity on an 800 DPI mouse and a 0.7 on a 400 DPI mouse produce exactly the same crosshair movement. Comparing the sensitivity numbers alone tells you nothing.
What eDPI do professional players use?
In Valorant most pros sit somewhere around 150 to 400 eDPI. Counter-Strike is broadly similar. The spread is wide because it is a preference within a workable range, not a solved value.
Is a lower eDPI better for aiming?
Lower eDPI means more arm movement per degree of turn, which generally makes fine crosshair adjustments more precise and is why tactical shooters skew low. The trade-off is that you need desk space and cannot turn quickly.
Does eDPI transfer between different games?
The eDPI number does not, because each game scales sensitivity differently. What does transfer is cm/360 — the physical distance you move the mouse to turn a full circle. Convert using that if you want identical feel across games.