Loading...
Mouse sensitivity may look like a single slider, but the feel of aiming depends on more than one number. The mouse has a DPI setting, the game applies its own sensitivity multiplier, and the game engine interprets every input count through an angular coefficient. Changing a mouse, adjusting DPI, or moving from CS2 to Valorant can therefore change a familiar turning distance.
DPI, eDPI, and cm/360 describe three different layers: hardware input, an equivalent setting within one game, and the physical distance traveled on the desk. Knowing which layer each metric belongs to prevents a setting that merely looks similar from being mistaken for one that actually feels similar.
DPI means dots per inch. In mouse settings, it describes how many movement counts the sensor reports when the mouse travels one inch. At 800 DPI, moving one inch theoretically produces about 800 counts. At 1600 DPI, the same movement produces about 1600 counts.
A higher DPI does not automatically produce better aim, nor does DPI alone determine how fast the view turns. The final speed also depends on in-game sensitivity, operating-system input settings, and whether the game uses raw mouse input. DPI is the base scale of the input; in-game sensitivity controls how strongly those counts are multiplied or reduced.
A value such as 1.0, 2.0, or 50 percent only has meaning on that game's own scale. A sensitivity of 1.0 in CS2 is not the same turning distance as 1.0 in Valorant. The same displayed number can differ several times over between engines. Even within one game, ignoring DPI leads to the wrong comparison: 400 DPI at 2.0 sensitivity is clearly not as fast as 1600 DPI at 2.0.
eDPI means effective DPI. It combines mouse DPI and in-game sensitivity into one value that is convenient for comparing settings:
eDPI = DPI × in-game sensitivity
For example, 800 DPI at 1.0 sensitivity equals 800 eDPI. If DPI is changed to 1600, reducing the in-game sensitivity to 0.5 still gives 800 eDPI. Within the same game and under the same input rules, these two settings will normally produce the same turning speed.
eDPI is useful for comparing players in the same game and for calculating a new in-game value after changing DPI. It is not a universal cross-game unit. Games use different sensitivity scales and angular coefficients, so 800 eDPI in CS2 cannot be copied directly as 800 eDPI in Valorant.
cm/360 is the number of centimeters the mouse must travel across the desk for the character or camera to complete one 360-degree horizontal turn. A larger value means lower sensitivity; a smaller value means higher sensitivity. At 50 cm/360, the mouse travels about 50 centimeters for a full turn. At 25 cm/360, it needs only half that distance.
Unlike a number shown in a game menu, cm/360 is close to the movement the arm actually learns. That makes it useful for cross-game conversion and for checking whether a mouse pad offers enough room. It still describes only horizontal turning distance and does not capture every visual difference caused by field of view, projection, or scope magnification.
If a game's yaw value represents the horizontal angle produced by each input count, cm/360 can be calculated with this formula:
cm/360 = 2.54 × 360 ÷ (DPI × in-game sensitivity × yaw)
The factor 2.54 converts inches to centimeters, while 360 represents a full turn. Yaw is the game's horizontal angular coefficient and should not be guessed or borrowed from an unrelated title. A game update, input mode, or special configuration may also change the conditions behind the calculation.
A commonly used default yaw value for CS2 is 0.022. With 800 DPI and an in-game sensitivity of 1.0:
2.54 × 360 ÷ (800 × 1.0 × 0.022) ≈ 51.95 cm/360
The mouse must therefore move about 51.95 centimeters for the view to complete a full turn. Raising sensitivity to 2.0 halves the distance. Raising DPI from 800 to 1600 without changing in-game sensitivity also halves it.
The manual formula is useful for understanding and checking the calculation. For an actual game change, the easier route is the mouse sensitivity converter. Select the source and target games, enter the original sensitivity plus source and target DPI, and the tool returns the converted sensitivity together with In/360 and Cm/360.
The result is a dependable starting point, not a rule that forbids adjustment. Some games accept only a limited number of decimal places. In that case, enter the closest available value and correct any small physical error after testing.
Matching cm/360 in two games proves only that a 360-degree horizontal turn takes the same physical mouse distance. Perceived motion also changes with FOV, aspect ratio, camera projection, weapon recoil, frame rate, and input latency. A narrow FOV often makes movement on the screen appear faster, while a wide FOV can make the same turn feel slower.
ADS and magnified scopes add another layer. Some games scale sensitivity with a fixed multiplier, some calculate it from changes in field of view, and others provide a separate setting for every scope. Matching hip-fire cm/360 therefore does not guarantee that scoped aiming will match automatically.
There is no single eDPI or cm/360 that suits everyone. Lower sensitivity provides more physical room for small corrections and often fits tactical shooters that reward stable precision. Higher sensitivity makes rapid turns easier and can work better with limited desk space or games that demand frequent wide-angle checks. Grip, mouse weight, pad size, and the main game all affect the useful range.
Change one variable at a time. Fix DPI first, then adjust in-game sensitivity in measured steps and use each setting for a meaningful training session or match. If DPI, FOV, resolution, and sensitivity all change together, it becomes difficult to identify what caused the new feel.
When yaw is unknown, cm/360 can be measured. Place the mouse at an easy-to-mark point on the pad and aim at a clear reference in the game. Move the mouse slowly in a straight horizontal line until the view returns exactly to the reference. The distance between the start and end points is the approximate cm/360.
For each frequently played game, record mouse DPI, in-game sensitivity, cm/360, FOV, resolution, ADS multipliers, and whether raw input is enabled. After changing computers, reinstalling a game, or testing a new mouse, these notes make it possible to restore the setup without searching again by feel.
DPI tells us how many input counts the mouse reports. eDPI compares equivalent configurations within one game. cm/360 turns sensitivity into a real distance on the desk. None replaces the others. Use eDPI to manage settings inside one game, use cm/360 for cross-game conversion, and then verify the result against the actual field of view and aiming modes.
