Is my mouse really at the DPI it says?

How do I run a mouse DPI test properly?

Fix the ruler, fix your start edge, and move slowly. Speed does not change the counts on a good sensor, but a slow, controlled stop lands you on the mark.

1. Tape a ruler to your mouse pad, or hold a bank card flat against it. Use 10 cm or more if the pad allows.
2. Pick one edge of the mouse, usually the front or the left side, and line it up with the zero mark every time.
3. Press Start measuring, click once, move to the end mark, click again. Keep the mouse flat on the pad the whole way.
4. Do at least three runs. Remove any run that is far from the others; you probably over or undershot.

If your runs agree within about 2 percent, the average is a good number to trust.

How much DPI deviation is normal?

A few percent either way is normal. Mouse sensors are built to a tolerance, and the setting in the app is a target, not a promise. Two mice of the same model can land a little apart.

What makes a DPI test read wrong?

Most big gaps come from the computer, not the mouse. Check these before you blame the sensor.

• Pointer acceleration. On Windows, "Enhance pointer precision" changes how far the cursor moves depending on speed. In Chrome and Edge the test bypasses it with raw input. In Firefox and Safari it does not, so turn it off or switch browser.
• Pointer speed. Without raw input, Windows pointer speed must sit in the middle (6 of 11 in Control Panel) for one count to equal one pixel.
• Display scaling. If the result is off by exactly your scaling factor, open the advanced settings and switch the display scaling correction.
• The surface. Very glossy, glass or worn pads can make an optical sensor skip counts. Test on the pad you actually use.
• Lifting the mouse. The sensor stops counting once it leaves the surface. Keep it flat for the whole run.

What can I do if my mouse is off?

You have two easy fixes. If your mouse app lets you set DPI in small steps, try the steps around your target and keep the one that measures closest. If it does not, keep the DPI and scale your game sensitivity by the gap instead: a mouse that measures 4 percent high needs about 4 percent lower sensitivity to feel like the real setting.

If you are moving to a new mouse, measure both. Then put the old and new DPI into the sensitivity converter and it will give you the sensitivity that keeps your aim the same.

Is this the same as the DPI analyzer?

It is the same measurement. The DPI analyzer on the home page is set up for finding an unknown DPI. This page puts the comparison with your setting up front, because that is what a test against the spec sheet is for.