Angelina Jolie
New member
Before getting into DPI, let me tell you that mouse pad size is something most people don't think about when they buy a gaming mouse. They buy a good mouse, then use the small pad which came free with keyboard, and after a few days they feel the aim is not right in the game. Now the main reason here is that the DPI is not matching with the space you have on the pad.
1. What DPI Actually Does Here
DPI is basically how much your cursor or crosshair moves when you move your mouse one inch. If DPI is low then you have to move your hand more, and if DPI is high then small hand movement is enough. On a big pad low DPI is fine because you have a lot of space, but on a small pad (around 25 x 21 cm, the normal size) you reach the edge very quickly and then you have to lift the mouse and put it back in the middle again.
2. Check the Real DPI of Your Mouse
So first thing my suggestion is, check what DPI your mouse is actually giving. Many people think the number written on box or in the software is the exact number, but it is not always the same, specially in budget mouse. For this you can use a mouse dpi checker , its a free online tool where you move your mouse one inch on a ruler and it tells you the real DPI. Only thing is keep Windows pointer speed on 6 and Enhance Pointer Precision off before testing, otherwise the number will not come correct.
3. Which DPI Is Good for a Small Pad
Now if we talk about the number, for a small pad mostly 1200 to 1600 DPI works good on a 1080p monitor. On 1440p you can go 1600 to 2400 also. Having said that, it is not a fixed rule because every person's hand movement is different, some people play with wrist and some people play with full arm, and the wrist players usually need more DPI on small pad.
4. Test It Inside the Game
After setting the DPI, open your game and keep the mouse on the left side of the pad, then move it slowly to the right side. If your character turns almost full round within that space then the setting does the job. If mouse reaches the edge before then increase DPI by 100 or 200 and check again. And if aim is shaking on small movements it means DPI is too much, so bring it down a little. You can also change the in-game sensitivity instead of only changing DPI, since both together decide how fast the movement feels.
1. What DPI Actually Does Here
DPI is basically how much your cursor or crosshair moves when you move your mouse one inch. If DPI is low then you have to move your hand more, and if DPI is high then small hand movement is enough. On a big pad low DPI is fine because you have a lot of space, but on a small pad (around 25 x 21 cm, the normal size) you reach the edge very quickly and then you have to lift the mouse and put it back in the middle again.
2. Check the Real DPI of Your Mouse
So first thing my suggestion is, check what DPI your mouse is actually giving. Many people think the number written on box or in the software is the exact number, but it is not always the same, specially in budget mouse. For this you can use a mouse dpi checker , its a free online tool where you move your mouse one inch on a ruler and it tells you the real DPI. Only thing is keep Windows pointer speed on 6 and Enhance Pointer Precision off before testing, otherwise the number will not come correct.
3. Which DPI Is Good for a Small Pad
Now if we talk about the number, for a small pad mostly 1200 to 1600 DPI works good on a 1080p monitor. On 1440p you can go 1600 to 2400 also. Having said that, it is not a fixed rule because every person's hand movement is different, some people play with wrist and some people play with full arm, and the wrist players usually need more DPI on small pad.
4. Test It Inside the Game
After setting the DPI, open your game and keep the mouse on the left side of the pad, then move it slowly to the right side. If your character turns almost full round within that space then the setting does the job. If mouse reaches the edge before then increase DPI by 100 or 200 and check again. And if aim is shaking on small movements it means DPI is too much, so bring it down a little. You can also change the in-game sensitivity instead of only changing DPI, since both together decide how fast the movement feels.