The word “game” means something different to every individual. For some it may bring the image of “FIFA 20” to their mind. And, for others, it may bring back memories of the time spent playing “Counter Strike: Go.”

There are many gaming genres out there. From what we’ve noticed in the past years, shooter games are right on top of the ‘most played genre’ list. Maybe because they serve as a means for players to take out their anger and frustrations out on the in-game characters. Or maybe, it is just the thrill of using all those fancy weapons.

Out of shooter games, the most-played games are first-person shooter games, also called FPS games. But, what’s the best DPI for FPS games? Read further to know more.

What is FPS Games?

In simple words, first-person shooter games are shooting games that are centered around the player. In these games, you play in a first-person perspective, i.e., through the eyes of the in-game character, often the protagonist. Most shooter games follow this mode of playing. FPS shooter games can be both offline and online games.

FPS Vs TPS – What Is The Difference?

TPS refers to third-person shooter, i.e., the camera is angled behind the protagonist. This allows users to see the character’s whole body. So, how is FPS different from TPS?

In the basic sense, the field-of-view in the FPS mode is restricted to the eyes of the character you are playing. Whereas, in the TPS mode, you get a wider field-of-view as the camera angle is positioned behind the character you are playing. Therefore, one may say that FPS game modes are harder to play than TPS game modes. But, FPS game modes offer users a great deal more accuracy than TPS.

What Is DPI in Gaming?

The most important tool while playing shooter games is the mouse. If your mouse is laggy or not moving accurately, you are destined to die (in the game, of course). So what is DPI? DPI means ‘Dots Per Inch.’ DPI is a measurement tool for mouse sensitivity. This refers to how much your cursor moves on screen, in relation to how much you are actually moving your mouse.

In other words, the number of pixels your cursor moves on screen for every inch you move the mouse in real life. ‘Dots Per Inch’ is sometimes also called ‘Counts Per Inch’ (CPI).

There is website called CPSTest.org which show your mouse clicking speed by taking various clicking test.

What Is The Best DPI for FPS Gaming?

The consensus regarding DPI is that the higher the DPI of a mouse, the better it is. For e.g., the Razer DeathAdder Elite Gaming Mouse offers users up to 16,000 DPI. The question is very subjective. Generally, a higher DPI would suggest that the mouse is performing better. But, that may not be the case in every situation. A question that often pops up among users is, “What is the best DPI setting for online FPS games?”

As we discussed earlier, FPS games are the most played co-op games, multiplayer games or single player games as of today. A lot depends on how your mouse performs, when you indulge in FPS games. The mouse largely contributes to three elements in a FPS game, viz., aiming, moving and shooting. Herein, DPI contributes to the former two elements which are aiming and movement.

When talking about movement, a higher DPI is suggested. This is because a higher DPI means that the smallest of movements by the mouse are transformed into in-game movement by the cursor. This allows users to move around and turn with more fluidity when using a high DPI.

Talking about aiming, a lower DPI would be better. How is that, you ask? A lower DPI means that a player will need to move their mouse more for the in-game cursor to move around. This increases the players accuracy when aiming through their gun’s crosshairs as it makes shuffling around slower, allowing more time to aim at your enemies.

The best mouse DPI for FPS gaming is also subjective in the regard that the right DPI also depends on the kind of character you’re playing with. A character that has the ability to spray bullets and does not really need precision aiming, can take advantage of their mouse’s high DPI.

Whereas, a character that uses a sniper rifle and needs extreme precision aiming will play better on the lower end of the mouse’s DPI spectrum. This is why one cannot put down a certain number as the best DPI for FPS. What adds to the misery of a perfect DPI setting is the in-game mouse sensitivity settings of most games. So, now you have two settings to come down to the right setting.

How do you bypass this? Users often use something called the ‘360 degree test’. In simple words, move your mouse in one direction till your character makes a complete rotation. This allows a user to understand the sensitivity level of the in-game setting slider. All in all, there is no one number but experts suggest that a DPI setting between 400 and 800 is optimal for FPS games.

FAQ About DPI for FPS Games

What is “Polling Rate” and what is the best Polling Rate for FPS?

Polling rate refers to the number of times a mouse reports the position of the cursor to the computer. The polling rate of a mouse is measured in Hertz (Hz) per second, and for every Hertz, the cursor position is reported once to the computer. For example, a polling rate of 400 Hz means that the cursor position is reported 400 times in a second, to the computer. A higher polling rate means that the lag between the mouse movement and cursor movement is lowered.

But, high polling rates mean that the CPU is using a higher processing power than usual. Gamers say that the right polling rate for FPS gaming is between the range of 600 Hz – 1000 Hz. But, in true sense, the higher the polling rate the better, as long as your CPU is good enough to process it.

Is 200 DPI good for gaming?

We would suggest a DPI of 400 to 800. Even though a 200 DPI would make for a better aiming experience when playing FPS games, it will naturally slow down your movement time. So, the best DPI and sensitivity for FPS games should have a balance between high DPI and low DPI.

What is the best DPI for Fortnite? What mice do Fortnite Pros use?

For battle-royale based TPS games like Fortnite, the right DPI settings would be between 400-1000. If you’re experienced at the game, a lower DPI would be better for you. But, if you’re still a beginner, you should stick to the 1000 DPI range. Fortnite pros have been seeing using the Logitech G502 mouse as well as with the BenQ Zowie FK1.

Final Words

So, coming back to the main question, the best DPI for FPS games is something which cannot be pinpointed. But, the right DPI setting for a mouse for FPS gaming should lie in the range of 400 to 800 DPI.

Beginners may even go up to 1600 DPI and gradually lower the DPI setting as they become more experienced. The ultimate DPI test for any game with any mouse is the easiest – using different settings till you find the right one for yourself!