How Did This Mouse DPI Trick Stay Hidden For So Long?

Summary

This video script delves into the impact of mouse DPI settings on FPS gaming performance, revealing a strong correlation between DPI and preferred in-game sensitivity. It challenges the notion that comfort equates to performance, advocating for players to experiment with DPI and sensitivity settings to find the optimal balance for their aiming skills. The script suggests that the right DPI can make a significant difference in a player's ability to perform at a high level, and encourages viewers to consider how their current settings may be influencing their gameplay.

Takeaways

• 🎮 Mouse DPI significantly influences the aiming accuracy in FPS games and can even determine success in e-sports.
• 🔍 The popular belief that lower DPI settings like 1600 reduce input latency is negligible and not a primary factor in choosing DPI.
• 📊 Professional FPS players tend to have different average mouse sensitivities based on their DPI settings, with higher DPI correlating with faster sensitivity.
• 🐍 DPI settings affect the real-life mouse movement (CM/360) needed to rotate 360 degrees in-game, with lower numbers indicating faster movement.
• 🖱️ Players can adjust in-game sensitivity to achieve the same CM/360 at different DPI settings, but this doesn't change the inherent correlation between DPI and preferred sensitivity.
• 🤔 The comfort level of a DPI setting is influenced by how much the mouse movement matches the player's natural movement, which is learned over time.
• 🚀 Playing on a DPI that aligns with in-game sensitivity can feel comfortable, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's the most performative setting.
• 🔄 Experimenting with different DPI settings can help find the most performative sensitivity, even if it initially feels uncomfortable.
• 🏆 The choice of DPI can shape a player's success in different games, with Counter Strike favoring lower DPI, Apex favoring moderate, and Overwatch favoring higher DPI.
• 🔎 The majority of professional players in games like Counter Strike use lower DPI settings, suggesting that these settings may offer performance advantages in certain game styles.

Q & A

What is the main topic discussed in the script?

The script discusses the impact of mouse DPI (dots per inch) on the aiming performance of FPS (First-Person Shooter) players and how it influences the e-Sports scene.

Why is mouse DPI considered important in FPS gaming?

Mouse DPI is important in FPS gaming because it affects the sensitivity and control of the mouse, which in turn impacts a player's aiming accuracy and overall performance.

What is the relationship between DPI and in-game sensitivity?

The script suggests a strong correlation between the DPI a player uses and the mouse sensitivity they find most comfortable. Higher DPI settings generally lead to faster in-game sensitivity.

What are the average mouse sensitivities for professional FPS players in different games?

In Apex Legends, the average sensitivities are 44.6, 36.7, and 32.7. In CS:GO/CS:2, they are 60.6, 49.9, and 45.9. In Overwatch 2, they are 46, 37.8, and 30.3.

How can players adjust their in-game sensitivity to match their DPI?

Players can adjust their in-game sensitivity to match their DPI by changing the in-game sensitivity settings. For example, a 400 DPI player can increase their in-game sensitivity to 2 to achieve the same cm/360 as an 800 DPI player with 1 in-game sensitivity.

Why does the script suggest that comfort does not equal performance?

The script suggests that while a player might feel comfortable with a certain DPI and sensitivity setting, this does not necessarily mean it is the most performative setting. Players can adapt to almost any configuration over time, but this does not guarantee optimal aiming performance.

What is the significance of the example given about the player who increased their DPI to 3200?

The example illustrates how increasing DPI can initially make faster sensitivities feel normal and comfortable, but it may not necessarily improve aiming performance. The player found that their aim was not as good despite feeling comfortable with the settings.

How does the script explain the influence of DPI on the success of e-Sports players?

The script suggests that the choice of DPI can determine or at least influence the success or failure of many players over the years. For example, a significant percentage of Counter Strike professionals play on 400 DPI, which suits the game's requirements for accuracy.

What advice does the script give for players who want to improve their aiming performance?

The script advises players to experiment with different DPI settings and in-game sensitivities to find a configuration that maximizes performance, rather than just comfort. It suggests trying out low, medium, and high sensitivity ranges to determine what works best.

What is the purpose of the ClawMate mouse mod mentioned in the script?

The ClawMate mouse mod is mentioned as a way to potentially improve mouse control and aiming performance. The script suggests that more information about it can be found in a linked video.

Outlines

00:00

🎮 Mouse DPI and Sensitivity in FPS Gaming

This paragraph discusses the significant impact of mouse DPI on the performance of FPS players. It highlights that DPI settings can determine success in the E-Sports scene. The script refutes the common belief that lower DPI settings like 1600 reduce input latency and instead emphasizes the correlation between DPI and in-game sensitivity. Professional players' average sensitivity is presented for different DPI settings in games like Apex Legends, CS:GO, and Overwatch 2. The explanation delves into how DPI affects the comfort level and performance, suggesting that higher DPI requires less physical movement for in-game actions, potentially leading to a mismatch in sensitivity settings. The narrator shares personal experiences, illustrating how adjusting DPI can make faster sensitivities feel normal but may not necessarily improve aiming performance.

05:03

🔍 The Influence of DPI on FPS Player Performance

The second paragraph explores the relationship between DPI settings and in-game sensitivity, explaining how comfort does not equate to performance. The narrator shares his personal journey with DPI and sensitivity, emphasizing the importance of finding a balance between comfort and high-level aiming performance. It discusses the default DPI settings of most mice and how players often choose their DPI based on general PC use or hearsay. The paragraph also provides statistics on the DPI preferences of professional players in Counter Strike, Apex, and Overwatch 2, suggesting that lower DPI settings are more prevalent in Counter Strike due to its slower gameplay, while higher DPI settings are more common in Overwatch 2 due to its fast-paced nature. The narrator advises experimenting with different DPI settings to find the optimal sensitivity for performance, rather than just comfort.

10:07

🛠 Adjusting DPI for Optimal Aiming Performance

In the final paragraph, the focus is on how to use the understanding of DPI and sensitivity to improve aiming performance. The narrator advises against settling for a sensitivity that feels comfortable but rather to find a sensitivity that enhances performance and then make it feel comfortable. The concept of adjusting DPI to align with in-game sensitivity is introduced, using a hypothetical example of a player with a 3200 DPI setting who struggles with aiming. By lowering the DPI and adjusting the in-game sensitivity, the player can achieve a more comfortable and effective aiming setup. The paragraph concludes with a recommendation to experiment with different DPI and sensitivity settings to find the perfect balance for each individual player.

Keywords

💡DPI (Dots Per Inch)

DPI refers to the measurement of mouse sensitivity, indicating how many points on the screen the cursor will move per inch of mouse movement. In the context of the video, DPI is crucial as it influences the aiming precision and speed in FPS games. The script discusses how different DPI settings can affect a player's performance and comfort level, with professional players often choosing specific DPI settings to optimize their gameplay.

💡FPS (First-Person Shooter)

FPS stands for First-Person Shooter, a genre of video games where the player experiences the game world from the perspective of the protagonist. The video emphasizes the importance of mouse sensitivity in FPS games, as it directly impacts a player's ability to aim and react quickly, which are critical skills in these fast-paced games.

💡Input Latency

Input latency is the delay between a user's action (e.g., moving the mouse) and the corresponding reaction on the screen. The script mentions that while playing on 1600 DPI is believed to reduce latency, the actual difference is minimal and not the primary factor in choosing a DPI setting.

💡Mouse Sensitivity

Mouse sensitivity is the measure of how quickly the cursor moves on the screen in response to mouse movement. The video script explores the correlation between DPI and mouse sensitivity, showing that players often prefer a sensitivity that aligns with their DPI setting, which can affect their in-game performance.

💡CM/360

CM/360, or centimeters per 360 degrees, is a metric used to quantify mouse sensitivity by measuring the real-life mouse movement needed to rotate 360 degrees in-game. Lower CM/360 values indicate faster mouse movement, which is preferred by many professional FPS players for quicker aiming, as discussed in the script.

💡In-Game Sensitivity

In-game sensitivity is a setting within a video game that adjusts how quickly the in-game camera or reticle moves in response to mouse movement. The script explains that players can adjust their in-game sensitivity to compensate for different DPI settings, but the most comfortable and performant settings may not always align.

💡Performance

In the context of the video, performance refers to a player's ability to aim accurately and effectively in an FPS game. The script argues that while comfort is important, it should not be the sole determinant of a player's DPI and sensitivity settings, as optimal performance may require a setting that feels less comfortable initially.

💡Aiming

Aiming in FPS games is the act of controlling the in-game reticle or crosshair to target enemies. The video emphasizes the importance of finding the right balance between DPI and sensitivity for effective aiming, as the wrong settings can lead to discomfort and reduced performance.

💡Pro Players

Pro players are professional gamers who compete at the highest level in their respective games. The script provides statistics on the DPI preferences of professional players in different FPS games, suggesting that understanding and potentially mimicking these settings could offer an advantage to aspiring players.

💡ClawMate Mouse Mod

The ClawMate Mouse Mod is a product mentioned in the script that is designed to improve mouse control and comfort. While not the main focus of the video, it is used as an example of how players can customize their gaming setup to enhance performance and comfort.

💡Field of View (FOV)

Field of View in video games refers to the extent of the observable game world that is seen on the screen at any given moment. The script briefly touches on how different FOV settings can affect the perceived speed of mouse movement, influencing the choice of sensitivity and DPI.

Highlights

Mouse DPI has a significant impact on FPS gaming and can influence a player's success.

Input latency is often cited as a reason for using 1600 DPI, but the difference is minimal.

Professional FPS players have different average mouse sensitivities based on DPI settings.

Higher DPI settings correlate with faster mouse sensitivity in games like Apex Legends, CS:GO, and Overwatch 2.

Players can adjust in-game sensitivity to achieve the same cm/360 with different DPI settings.

Comfortable mouse movements in everyday use may influence in-game sensitivity preferences.

Mismatch between in-game sensitivity and DPI can lead to awkward gameplay and reduced performance.

Feeling comfortable with a sensitivity setting doesn't necessarily mean it's the most performative.

Adjusting DPI can help make a performative sensitivity setting feel comfortable.

Different games may benefit from different DPI settings based on their playstyle and mechanics.

CS:GO players tend to use lower DPI settings compared to Apex Legends and Overwatch 2 players.

Higher DPI settings like 1600 are more prevalent in games with fast-paced gameplay like Overwatch.

Experimenting with DPI can help find the optimal sensitivity for better performance.

Comfort should not be the primary goal when choosing sensitivity settings; performance should be the focus.

Adjusting DPI can help bridge the gap between a player's preferred sensitivity and their optimal performance sensitivity.

Transcripts

Mouse DPI has some hidden properties that influence the aim of every FPS player.

It has even shaped the E-Sports scene, deciding who succeeds and who fails, all because of

a seemingly arbitrary decision of what DPI someone chooses to play on.

Now, if you’re clued into FPS gaming you may be thinking this has something to do with

input latency.

Well, no, while it has become popular to play on 1600 DPI for slightly reduced latency,

the difference is so small that I don’t find it can be perceived, and any marginal

benefits of this pale in comparison to what i’m about to show you.

Let’s take a look at the average mouse sensitivity of professional FPS players, for the three

most popular DPI settings.

In Apex Legends we have 44.6, 36.7 and 32.7.

CM/360 being the real life mouse movement needed to rotate 360 degrees in-game, so a

lower number is faster, and a higher number is slower.

Also keeping in mind that players can adjust their in-game sensitivity.

So a 400 DPI player on 2 in-game sensitivity could bump up to 800 DPI and play on 1 in-game

for the exact same cm/360.

Despite this, as we can see here, the higher the DPI, the faster the sensitivity.

CS:GO/CS:2 follows the same trend with 60.6, 49.9 and 45.9.

And Overwatch 2 also follows suit with 46, 37.8 and 30.3 cm/360.

So what does this mean?

Well, there appears to be a strong correlation between the DPI you play on, and the mouse

sensitivity you find most comfortable.

That makes sense, considering any time you spend on your computer not playing an FPS

game, so browsing youtube, or checking out my ClawMate mouse mod over at StruthGamingGear.com,

video all about it in the description.

Is time that you are moving your mouse around according to that DPI.

A higher DPI like 1600 only needs fingertip and slight wrist movements, whereas 400 DPI

requires your whole arm to move around.

It stands to reason that the sensitivity you find most comfortable in-game will use similar

movements.

Over time we learn what mouse movements are needed to move our crosshair or cursor certain

distances on screen.

When that expectation doesn’t line up, we don’t feel comfortable and our aim suffers.

For example, if you suddenly played on a really high DPI like 3200 and a low sensitivity like

50cm in Apex you would be throwing your arm all around your mousepad to aim and move around.

But when you open a deathbox and try to manage your inventory, these large movements will

throw your cursor to the edge of your screen and you’ll suddenly have to transition to

tiny fingertip mouse movements.

That mismatch between in-game sensitivity and DPI feels very awkward, so you would naturally

adjust these variables to better align.

Playing on a DPI that aligns with your in-game sensitivity isn’t the end of it, in fact,

it’s the root of the problem.

Just because your sensitivity feels comfortable, doesn’t mean it is the most performative

setting for you.

You can make just about any configuration feel comfortable or normal over time.

Let me give you a first hand example of how this works.

I’ve been playing and even working on Aim Trainers since their inception and in the

first few years especially, the idea that higher sensitivities, so about 20-35cm were

best was quite popular.

As a 40-65ish cm player at the time, I found playing on faster sensitivity to be incredibly

inconsistent, uncomfortable and most importantly my aim was worse.

Despite this, I tried time and time again to make it work.

My biggest issue was it simply feeling too fast, so eventually I decided to force the

issue and make it feel comfortable.

I did this by increasing my DPI to 3200 from my usual 800.

Within a day or two, these faster sensitivities now felt normal, even comfortable.

Just like that.

They even started to feel a bit slow, which makes sense considering how high my DPI was

set at the time.

What I found was that aiming on these faster settings felt normal and I felt in control

of what I was doing.

The problem was, even after weeks my aim simply wasn’t as good and my progress stalled.

This will differ from person to person, but for me, the problem I found was that I was

no longer fully utilizing my wrist and arm to aim.

It was almost purely in the hand and some of the wrist which just didn’t afford me

enough control over my aim.

These days, depending on the game’s field of view, I play between 35 and 45cm.

The same CM/360 on high FOV feels slower than the same cm/360 on low FOV.

This is because of the pixels per degree but I won’t get into that now.

This is a range that fully utilizes my fingers, hand, wrist, arm and even my shoulder and

chest to an extent.

To make this in-game range feel comfortable, a DPI around 800 seems to feel good when using

two screens.

These aren’t the ‘correct’ settings to use by any means, i’m just explaining

my journey with DPI and sensitivity to end up with aim that I consider to be high level

and effortless.

I don’t need to warm up, aim train or even play regularly to perform well enough.

When I see a distance on screen, be it in regular PC use or in-game, I have a good idea

of what mouse movement is needed to get there.

That was a bit of a detour, but we now know that your DPI influences what in-game sensitivity

feels comfortable, and that comfort doesn’t equal performance.

I feel confident in saying that most FPS players haven’t put much thought into the DPI they

use.

If I had to guess, i’d say people on 800 mostly made no choice at all and simply use

the default settings of most mice.

Players on 1600 likely hit the DPI switch on their mouse once because the default 800

felt a bit too slow for general PC use, or they heard about the reduced input latency.

Players on 400 likely copied the DPI of pro players in Counter Strike.

Counter Strike being a great example of how DPI can shape who becomes pro and who doesn’t.

Particularly in the earlier days of CS:1.6 and CS:Source, someone playing on 400 would

tend to gravitate toward a lower mouse sensitivity which essentially grants them better accuracy

for free due to the slow pace and unique aiming requirements of the TacFPS genre.

It’s not unreasonable to think that DPI choice has determined or at least influenced

the success or failure of many players over the years.

A massive 68.5% of Counter Strike pros play on 400 DPI, compared to only 25% in Apex and

a tiny 8.8% in Overwatch 2.

This checks out, Counter Strike by far suits lower sensitivities the most with it’s limited

verticality, movement and angle holding playstyle.

You can get away with playing on lower settings for better accuracy because the usual downsides

are largely irrelevant.

Apex, featuring a combination of close, mid and long ranged combat does feel the tradeoff

of very low sensitivities so we only see 25% playing on 400 DPI.

Overwatch 2 on the other hand is almost all close to mid ranged combat, with plenty of

verticality and mobility.

Out of the three games, it suffers the most from the drawbacks of lower sensitivity and

as a result we only see 8.8% of pros using 400 DPI.

To simplify things, Counter Strike can be considered slow, Apex is moderate and Overwatch

is fast.

Likewise, 400 is slow, 800 is moderate and 1600 is fast.

For our 800 DPI pro players, they make up 29.2% for CS, 64.7% for Apex, and a massive

71.8% for Overwatch.

We see a huge swing toward 800 DPI for both Apex and Overwatch as they both much better

suit more moderate mouse sensitivities.

Finally for 1600 DPI, they make up only 2.4% of CS, 10.3% of Apex and a sizable 19.5% of

Overwatch.

Considering Overwatch tends toward fast gameplay and close engagements, it makes sense that

it is home to the highest number of 1600 DPI players.

Knowing all of this, when we consider FPS gamers as a whole, there is an evident advantage

to playing on a particular DPI for certain games.

If you want to be a pro CS player, it stands to reason that playing on the same DPI as

almost 70% of the professionals would be a good idea.

If you use something like 1600 or 3200, the odds are stacked against you in making it

to the highest level.

There will always be outliers, but for the majority of players, you will simply aim better

and therefore perform better on lower sensitivity ranges that are made more comfortable by using

lower mouse DPI.

It’s interesting to consider how many great players out there never made it, or didn’t

perform at their potential, simply because they were using an unsuitable mouse DPI.

Practically speaking, how do we use this knowledge to our advantage?

First off, if you’re hesitant or don’t quite believe how influential DPI can be,

I invite you to crank it up to 3200 or so for a few days and see how your perception

of your sensitivity changes.

If you’re already that high, do the opposite down to 400.

If you don’t know what type of aimer you are, it’s a good idea to experiment with

the general ranges of low, medium and high sensitivity to see what lets you perform best.

Use 400 for a few days, 1000ish for a few days and 2000+ for a few days.

Feel free to change your in-game sensitivity around to whatever is comfortable at the time.

The big takeaway from all of this, is to remember that comfort doesn’t equal performance,

and you can make just about anything feel comfortable over time.

Don’t search for a sensitivity that feels comfortable, search for something that you

perform on and make it feel comfortable.

We can think of our cm/360 as a setting we can adjust to change our aiming performance.

And our DPI as a setting that adjusts what feels comfortable.

It is really hard to aim well on a setting that doesn’t feel comfortable, which is

why adjusting your DPI can be so incredibly useful for exploring mouse sensitivity.

Hypothetically, let’s imagine a 3200 DPI 10cm/360 player who’s always struggled with

aiming.

Let’s give them a theoretical perfect sensitivity for them, for the game they’re playing of

36 cm/360.

If they were to only change their in-game sensitivity to reach 36cm, it would feel like

they’re moving their mouse through mud, and aiming feels impossibly slow.

That mismatch between sensitivity and DPI creates discomfort and their ‘perfect’

setting feels terrible, and they don’t perform well on it.

But if this player were to drop down to 400 or 800 DPI for a few hours or days, and then

try 36cm or perhaps even something lower like 50cm and then close the gap to 36.

That mismatch disappears, aiming feels natural and comfortable, and they now have access

to their perfect sensitivity.

If you would like to learn more about the ClawMate mouse mod, you can check out this

video heere where I cover exactly how and why it works.

Thanks so much for watching, be sure to subscribe for more content like this and i’ll catch

you in the next one.