What mouse sensitivity should you use for FPS games?
Ask ten players for the 'best' FPS sensitivity and you'll get ten answers — because the raw in-game number is meaningless on its own. What actually matters is how far you move the mouse to turn all the way around. Get that right and you can carry the same aim into any game.
There's no magic number — there's cm/360
cm/360 is the distance, in centimetres, you have to move your mouse to spin a full 360 degrees in-game. It's the one measurement that describes your actual aim, because it combines your DPI and your in-game sensitivity into a single real-world number. Two players on totally different settings can have identical aim if their cm/360 matches.
eDPI vs cm/360
- eDPI = mouse DPI × in-game sensitivity. It's a quick way to compare sens within the same game (higher eDPI = faster aim).
- cm/360 = the real-world distance for a full turn. It's the better cross-game number because it accounts for each game's internal scaling.
- Lower eDPI / higher cm/360 = slower, more precise aim (needs desk space and arm movement). Higher eDPI / lower cm/360 = faster flicks but harder to be consistent.
What the pros actually use
Most FPS pros aim low and slow, using their arm rather than just the wrist. The clustering is remarkably tight:
| Style / game | Typical cm/360 | Example (800 DPI) |
|---|---|---|
| Tactical (Valorant, CS2) | 30–45 cm | 0.3–0.5 in-game |
| All-rounder | 25–35 cm | medium sens |
| Movement / BR (Apex, Fortnite) | 20–30 cm | slightly faster |
800 DPI is the near-universal community standard — set that on the mouse and make all your adjustments with the in-game slider.
How to pick yours
- Start at 800 DPI and roughly 35 cm/360 — a safe middle ground for almost everyone.
- If you overshoot targets and miss flicks, go slower (higher cm/360). If you can't turn fast enough to catch flankers, go faster.
- Change one variable at a time and give it a few days before judging — muscle memory needs time to adapt.
- Make sure you have desk space: a 35 cm/360 needs real room to swipe, so a large mousepad helps.
Keep it consistent across games
The biggest, easiest win for your aim is using the same cm/360 in every shooter you play. Each game scales sensitivity differently, so copying the same in-game number across games gives you different aim in each. Convert properly — match the cm/360 — and your muscle memory transfers intact from Valorant to CS2 to Apex.
Kill mouse acceleration
Before you fine-tune anything, turn off mouse acceleration. In Windows, disable 'Enhance pointer precision', and turn off any in-game acceleration. Acceleration means the same physical swipe turns a different amount depending on how fast you moved — which makes consistent aim impossible. You want a 1:1 relationship between hand movement and crosshair movement, every time.
FAQ
What is a good sensitivity for FPS games?
Aim for roughly 30–45 cm/360 for tactical shooters like Valorant and CS2, and 20–30 cm for faster movement games. At the standard 800 DPI that's around 0.3–0.5 in Valorant. Start in the middle and adjust from there.
What DPI do most pros use?
800 DPI is the community and pro standard. Set that on your mouse and make all your fine adjustments with the in-game sensitivity slider rather than changing DPI.
How do I keep the same aim across different games?
Match your cm/360, not your in-game number. Each game scales sensitivity differently, so use a converter to find the equivalent setting that keeps your real-world turn distance the same.