Patriot Viper's Guide to Mice DPI

In today's fast-paced world of online gaming, speed and quick response are some of the most important factors that your peripherals rely on to secure victory.

When it comes to mice, one of their important specifications to gaming is within their response to movement and how it responds onscreen. This is typically referred to as DPI, or dots per inch. As a key piece of information used to understand more about your mouse, let's discuss DPI, its importance, finding the right DPI and how mice differ with DPI. 

 

What is DPI?

DPI (dots per inch) is a set measurement of how many pixels an onscreen cursor will move in response to each inch of physical movement from your mouse. Relatively speaking, the higher your mouse's DPI is set, the quicker your cursor will move onscreen per physical movements. Conversely, the lower your mouse's DPI is set, the slower your cursor will move onscreen.

In regards to mice, many gaming mice will support higher DPI settings than a standard non-gaming specific mouse due to DPI offering a wider range and feel for cursor movement. Some gaming mice, such as our Viper V570 RGB mouse, support DPI from as low as 400 DPI to as high as 12,000 DPI for getting plenty of speed ranges out of your mouse without requiring significant physical movement as you go higher. As we'll discuss, this can be an important component for gaming. 

High DPI vs. Low DPI

 The main difference between higher DPI and lower DPI is how much your onscreen cursor will move as a result of physically moving the mouse. Higher DPI will result in the cursor going faster around the screen, while a lower DPI will result in the cursor going slower around the screen. For example, when adjusting your DPI to a standard 400 DPI, your cursor will move 400 dots (or pixels, as it is usually referred to) per inch of movement. When doubling it to 800 DPI, you will see an increase to 800 dots per inch, and so on. This can also yield an inverse relationship between mouse control and mouse movement when going between higher and lower DPI. 

As we'll discuss further regarding its importance for gaming, the higher your DPI is, the quicker your movements can be onscreen. 

 

How Important is DPI for Gaming?

DPI can be an important factor for gaming, especially in games where players' movement and quick reaction times are of the upmost importance to winning. This is a big part of why many gamers may seek out mice with a wide range and ceiling for DPI. 

DPI can make a big difference in terms of movement when adjusting or combining with other sensitivities. Changing to a higher DPI is common for many games in the FPS genre for quicker aim to targets and making for instantaneous reaction times. DPI can also be a helpful tool for MMO players where a lot of onscreen movement occurs at once that will require swift movement and clicks from players. In both examples, the key is that higher DPI will result in more onscreen cursor movement and less physical movement that makes for quick adjustments. 

 

DPI, In-Game Sensitivity and Effective DPI

Beyond individual DPI and sensitivity settings, many games will also allow players to set their own sensitivity specifically tailored to that game alone. When presented with the ability to customize, many gamers will opt to combine both mouse DPI and in-game sensitivity that is referred to as an effective DPI, or eDPI. Knowing this can help translate that same feel over to other games and mice that have similar elements to them. 

The formula for calculating eDPI is as follows by multiplying DPI with the in-game sensitivity as is follows:

DPI x Sensitivity = eDPI

For one example, if someone is playing Valorant and playing with their mouse set at 1200 DPI and set to 0.4 in Valorant's in-game sensitivity, their eDPI would be found as 480 eDPI. Using this formula, users are able to calculate their exact sensitivities for different games and translate them over into other games. 

 

DPI and Picking the Right Mouse

When looking for the right mouse, DPI may be an important factor that can influence what gamers look for in the right mice. This can include a higher DPI range and ceiling, connection, latency and convenience with changing a mouse's DPI. 

Patriot Viper's Picks: Gaming Mice and DPI

For gamers looking for a new mouse, Viper Gaming has a great selection of mice to choose from that feature a wide range of DPI levels. With the V570, V551, V550 and V530, Viper Gaming has mice built for every gamer out there.  

Viper V570 RGB Mouse

Built with an ergonomic design, the Viper V570 contains all the bells and whistles gamers will love in a mouse. With its 13 programmable buttons, removable weights, ceramic footpads, wired connection, and stunning full-display RGB, the V570 offers plenty of customization and sharp performance in a mouse that reaches upwards of 12,000 DPI changed with a simple click of a button above its wheel.

The V570 is a perfect expert-level mouse for gamers looking for the highest DPI a gaming mouse can offer. Its high DPI can also be a great choice for FPS/MMO players complete with its ergonomic design and 13 customizable buttons. 

Viper V570 RGB Mouse

 

Viper V551 RGB Mouse

The Viper V551 offers strong customization and style without the robust, ergonomic design of the V570. Featuring 7 programmable buttons, large PTFE glide pads, wired connection and multi-zone RGB, the low-profile V551 offers sharp performance and features DPI upwards of 12,000 DPI with our Viper Software changed with a simple click of a button above its wheel. 

The V551 is a perfect intermediate-level mouse for gamers looking for a more low-profile design with plenty of customization options for gamers looking for the highest DPI a gaming mouse can offer. Its shape and high DPI can also be a great choice for gamers and those switching between work and play. 

Viper V551 RGB Mouse

 

Viper V550 RGB Ambidextrous Mouse

Along with its strong customization and style, the Viper V550 is a unique low-profile mouse that offers an ambidextrous ergonomic design and a sharp gaming experience overall. Featuring 7 programmable buttons, large PTFE glide pads, wired connection and multi-zone RGB, the V550 delivers on sharp performance and features upwards of 10,000 DPI with our Viper Software that can be changed with a simple click above its wheel. 

Much like the V551, the V550 is the perfect intermediate-level mouse for ambidextrous gamers, those looking for a more low-profile design with plenty of customization options and those looking for a high DPI. Its shape and high DPI can also be a great choice for gamers and those switching between work and play. 

Viper V550 RGB Ambidextrous Mouse

 

Viper V530 LED Mouse

Built with premier comfort in mind, the Viper V530 offers sharp performance and style for the gamer on a budget. Featuring 7 programmable buttons, PTFE glide pads, a unique body style, wired connection and custom LED color profiles, the V530 delivers on strong performance and features upwards of 4,000 DPI as a median option compared to Viper's other offerings. 

The V530 is a perfect beginner-level mouse for casual gamers that want more tools at their disposal and don't need a high DPI. It can also be a great choice for gamers that want something simple, clean and for excellent price-performance. 

Viper V530 LED Mouse