What does DPI mean?
Have you ever encountered the acronym DPI in a mouse in the computer world and you have no idea what it means? Although it is not a rocket science, we will explain what DPI actually means and how to work with this value from the point of view of both the player and the average user.
What does DPI mean in mouse? - CONTENT
What is mouse DPI
The DPI vaule expresses sensitivity of a mouse. The abbreviation is derived from the English “dots per inch“ and indicates how fast the cursor moves across the screen. The higher this value, the more sensitive the mouse is and can better recognise the surface below it. From the user' s point of view, the mouse cursor moves much faster and the overall path is shorter, for example when aiming in games. Simply put, it can be stated that players and more demanding users choose a mouse that offers a higher DPI. Specific values are often mentioned directly next to the mouse name, or they can be easily found on the manufacturer's website.
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If you can't find the mouse DPI value anywhere, it will most likely be lower. This is typically a feature that manufacturers like to be proud of, and currently they have no reason to hide it.
Which DPI value to choose?
Each computer mouse is equipped with an optical or laser sensor. There are a large number of them on the market, but their quality depends, of course, on the purchase price of the mouse. Among other things, it is one of the parameters according to which experienced players choose the appropriate gaming mouse. While with an office model you want to be able to do as much as possible and care about its size, how it fits into your hand or what colour it is, with a gaming mouse there is more to explore.
There are many gaming mice currently available on the market. Manufacturers literally vie for their mouse to be more suitable for gaming than their opponents' models and proudly offer a range of technical parameters, including DPI. A good gaming mouse should have a DPI value of at least 3,200, as this will make any movement more accurate. It's also good to think about the future, because gaming is constantly evolving and demands on your mouse will grow. Therefore, it is a good idea to choose a mouse with a DPI value of around 10,000 at the beginning and feel free to start using it at about a third of the value. You will have a sufficient reserve in the future and the mouse will last longer.
HyperX Pulsefire Dart gaming mouse with dedicated button for switching DPI values.
Mouse sensitivty setting
Higher quality mice, even office ones, are usually equipped with a separate button for manual switching of mouse sensitivity. You can easily switch the DPI value according to the current type of use. For example, when working in Windows, you switch to lower values. However, with the launch of your favourite game, you will select the DPI of the corresponding values.
For example, a gaming mouse Logitech G305 is equipped with a HERO sensor, which is characterised by exceptionally accurate and consistent performance with zero smoothing, acceleration or filtering in the range from 200 to 12,000 DPI. The G305 mouse allows you to store up to 5 profiles in the integrated memory, with 5 DPI levels for each of them. In addition, the G305 is equipped with a middle button, a DPI button and two side buttons, which you can easily program according to your needs using the Logitech G HUB application.
Accompanying applications are the key element for detailed mouse settings. It is not possible to change the DPI directly from Windows, so you always need to install the software from the manufacturer. Alternatively, just use the default profiles, which you can switch between using the separate button. Our personal experience shows that not every manufacturer can prepare the accompanying application into a problem-free form. Just a positive or negative experience with the control can be the last point when choosing a new mouse.
The DPI value is a good indicator of how good a mouse is. If you are choosing a mouse to play 3D shooting games and similar matters, choose between models with a DPI level of 10,000. For a purely office deployment, the DPI value is not particularly important.