Esports Mention

The future of esports is worth the mention. ⚡️🐐

DPI vs CPI: What’s the Difference?

⚡️🐐

Since the appearance of the optical mouse, it has rained a lot, and apart from the number of buttons, the DPI is the most common hype from one model to another. But… does DPI really matter in gaming mice? And what are they? Surely when you’ve gone to buy a mouse in recent years, and if you like to review what you buy thoroughly, you’ve realized that the most noticeable difference or that we want to sell the most is the DPI or resolution in terms of a premium feature.

I’ll start by saying that the DPI definition as manufacturers call it to give more output to their products (because it’s a term that more people know), is misleading. The accurate term is called CPI. The DPI or Dots Per Inch is a standard measure of resolution and refers to the number of pixels or dots that can enter a square inch (for example, mobiles are now usually around 400 DPI). Being a terminology applied to the image, we can not use it to mice. In this case, we are talking about the sensitivity of the mouse to the surface on which it moves. This leaves us the unit of measure CPI or Counts Per Inch, which is the number of counts (or virtual pixels) that the mouse can see in this inch that we commented before. Let’s dive a bit deeper into the differences between DPI and CPI.

What is DPI?

DPI stands for Dots Per Inch. In other words, it is directly related to reading movements within a unit of measurement, inches. For example, if a mouse has 1600 DPI, it would mean that if you move the mouse 1 inch (2.54cm), the mouse will be able to send 1600 readings or signals of the movement you have made. How incredible is that? Another way of explaining it is how it relates to how many pictures the mouse generates per second. So the more DPI, the more consecutive photographs of the movement have been executed to ultimately paint the path for where your mouse cursor is currently positioned.

Now some people may think that the higher the DPI is always better, but that is far from the truth. We must consider that there is a limit of DPI where the readings will no longer be necessary because the human hand is not able to move at such high speeds and that such a precise reading of the movement is needed. Consider it the law of diminishing returns for DPI. This limit is usually between 2000 and 2500 DPI. So if a mouse has 2000 DPI maximum, it is more than enough for any movement that you’d need in any game that requires fast and rapid movement like Fortnite or CS:GO. Those with more than 2500 DPI are just a commercial strategy of the mouse manufacturers who have made us believe that the more DPI, the better, 4000 DPI is already ridiculous and have virtually no real use. There are even some mice that boast about 9000 DPI!

On the other hand, the movement of the mouse is intimately linked to the sensitivity given to it either by Windows (or Linux) or by the same game that has sensitivity adjustments. Besides, the higher the amount of DPI, the faster the movement, and the higher the distance when small hand movements are executed. Therefore, it is recommended to have the mouse DPI as much as possible and low sensitivity of the game and Windows (or Linux) for the mouse, obtaining a balance between precision and sensitivity. Everyone is different when it comes to the sensitivity of their mouse and how fast it will respond. Some gamers will prefer a slower sensitivity with a lower DPI so that the precision can be met at the highest level. However, there are also gamers that would rather be able to position their cursor in the fastest possible way in order to get ahead of their opponent.

What is CPI?

CPI refers to the number of steps the mouse reports when moving an inch. CPI thus represents the sensitivity of the mouse more accurately and is used to determine how much distance the pointer moves on the screen in relation to the physical movement of the mouse. For example, with a CPI of 800, a one-inch movement of the mouse will move the cursor by 800 pixels on the screen. If you know about pixels, this might be easier for you to imagine. Keep in mind, when changing the resolution in a game, you have to change the sensitivity of the mouse as well.

It is not very clear why some companies use one term versus the other but it definitely results in confusing the potential gaming mice buyers as they look for what is the best gaming mice out there.

If you’re interested, the eternal struggle between DPI and CPI, it goes back to the beginnings of graphic design. If you’ve ever worked for a sector similar to design, you’re most likely aware that everyone talks about DPI, including the marketing and visual departments. The term has spread from the professional sector, little by little, to the consumer sector, where it has become relatively famous and faced with this, manufacturers long ago decided to call their sensors by that term erroneously. Therefore, it is more correct to speak of CPI or Counts Per Inch, since this term refers to the number of steps or jumps that the mouse registers when it travels an inch (2.54 cm). This term then refers to the number of times the movement is recorded per inch, ergo, more registers, more speed, and accuracy should a gaming mouse have. To illustrate another clear example, a CPI of 1000 will move 1000 pixels on screen for every inch the mouse moves. This logically affects the resolution of the game we are playing or merely the desktop. A 4K monitor at this resolution will need a higher number of CPI in a mouse than the user who plays at 1080p, since if both have the same value, the first one will have to move the mouse several centimeters more on its gaming mouse pad to reach the same point on the screen.

We hope you’ve learned a bit about the difference between DPI and CPI. If you’re still wondering whether it not you should be searching for DPI vs CPI in your gaming mice, the best way to go about it is to stick to one unit of measurement. Either choose DPI or CPI and then begin your search. you’ll come to realize that many gaming mice brands or companies will utilize both measurements as people prefer to understand one over the other. There’s nothing wrong with using DPI vs CPI, the industry has developed to accurately educate potential buyers for this.

Related gaming mouse articles you should read:

Esports Mention is your most relatable media platform for learning about esports, the industry and more (talking to you parents out there interested in learning what esports is). For gamers out there, you’ll also find the best gaming gear here suggested by your favorite professionals from League of Legends, Fortnite and more. Oh, and our mascot here is the Lightning GOAT ⚡️🐐, the future of esports is worth the mention. 

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Esports Mention earns from qualifying purchases only.

Related posts for you.

Share this article with your friends.

Would you like to contribute to Esports Mention? Feel free to contact us and telling us why you can contribute to us by tapping the button below.