Sensitivity

Mouse sensitivity is how far your view turns for a given amount of hand movement.

• Compare in cm/360 or eDPI, not raw settings. Raw numbers mean different things per game.
• There is no single correct sensitivity. Pick one deliberately, then give it time.
• Match it across games so you don't relearn your aim every time you switch titles.
• Changing it is fine with a reason. Changing it constantly is what costs you.

Explanation¶

cm/360 is the physical distance your mouse travels across your pad to turn your in-game view a full 360 degrees.

You can measure it: aim at a fixed point, turn a full circle, and measure how far your hand moved. Or use a calculator that combines your DPI and in-game sensitivity value.¹

Because it is measured in real-world distance, cm/360 is comparable across any game, engine, or mouse.

eDPI (effective DPI) is your mouse DPI multiplied by your in-game sensitivity multiplier. For example, 800 DPI × 0.27 sensitivity = 216 eDPI.²

Two players with the same eDPI move their crosshair the same amount per hand movement in that game, whatever their raw settings.

Unlike cm/360, eDPI is only comparable within one game. Different games apply different scaling to the sensitivity multiplier.²

Low versus high sensitivity is a trade-off in how much of the work your arm does versus your wrist and fingers.

A lower sensitivity (higher cm/360) spreads a turn over more physical distance. That leaves more room to correct small tracking errors, but demands a larger mousepad and more arm movement.

A higher sensitivity (lower cm/360) lets you turn and flick with small wrist movements and less desk space. But the same small hand tremor produces a much larger error on screen.

Published cm/360 ranges show what players typically use in each game.¹ Treat these as a starting reference, not a target. The right number depends on your equipment, desk space, posture, and comfort.¹

Choosing a starting point¶

Don't search for an "ideal" number. Instead:

1. Pick a sensitivity that lets you comfortably reach every part of your mousepad.
2. Check you can still turn 180 degrees without lifting your mouse.
3. Leave it alone long enough to judge it fairly.

No reference point at all? Look at the range other players in your game use, via a tool like the one linked above. Use it as a starting value to adjust from, not a rule to lock into.

Converting sensitivity between games and trainers¶

If you play more than one game, or move between a game and an aim trainer, match your physical sensitivity. That keeps your muscle memory consistent instead of forcing you to relearn your aim per title.

• KovaaK's publishes an official web-based sensitivity converter for a fixed list of supported games.⁴ Its open-source Sensitivity Matcher measures your actual in-game turn rate, for games not on that list.⁵ Both are on the KovaaK's resource page.
• Aimlabs has a built-in Sensitivity Finder for calibrating your in-app sensitivity, per the Aimlabs resource page.
• Independent cross-game calculators such as mouse-sensitivity.com cover a range of popular titles. Use one if the tools above don't cover your game or trainer.

When to change sensitivity, and when not to¶

Switching sensitivity on purpose is one way people try to break a plateau. Starting from an unfamiliar setting can reset your sense of what feels "normal" and open room to improve.³

So don't avoid changing your sensitivity at all. Avoid changing it constantly without a reason, since every change costs you some readjustment time. See Progress and Plateaus for more on working through a stalled score.

Do this next. Measure your current cm/360, then leave that sensitivity alone long enough to judge it fairly.

Related¶

• Setup and Gear: the mouse, pad and settings a sensitivity sits on.
• Progress and Plateaus: when a sensitivity change helps a stalled score.

Resources¶

• KovaaK's: built-in sensitivity converter and the Sensitivity Matcher tool for matching sensitivity to games it does not directly support.
• Aimlabs: built-in Sensitivity Finder for calibrating sensitivity inside the trainer.
• Guides: guides on sensitivity, gear and settings.

References¶