DPI (Mouse Sensitivity)
Also written as: CPI, counts per inch
DPI is how many movement counts the sensor reports per inch of physical movement. Higher maximum DPI is a spec-sheet number, not a performance advantage.
At 800 DPI, moving the mouse one inch sends 800 counts to the PC. Raising DPI makes the cursor travel further for the same hand movement — it changes sensitivity, not accuracy.
Modern sensors advertise maximums in the tens of thousands, but most competitive players sit between 400 and 1600 DPI and adjust the rest in game settings. Very high DPI mostly amplifies small hand tremors.
What actually separates sensors is tracking consistency: whether the reported movement stays true across speeds and surfaces. That quality plateaued well below the price of flagship mice.