Best DPI for FPS Games – Pro eDPI Ranges
"What DPI should I use for Valorant?" is the wrong question — and it is asked a thousand times a day. The right question is "what eDPI should I use?", because DPI without in-game sensitivity tells you nothing about how fast your crosshair actually moves. A player on 400 DPI and a player on 1600 DPI can have identical aim speed if their sensitivities differ proportionally.
This guide gives you the eDPI ranges professional players actually use in Valorant, CS2, and Apex Legends — the bands observed across pro-settings databases — explains why each game has its own band, and shows you how to convert your sensitivity so your muscle memory survives switching games. New to the concept? Read DPI vs eDPI first.
The ranges at a glance
| Game | Typical pro eDPI range | Example combo | Approx. cm/360 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valorant | 200–400 | 800 DPI × 0.35 = 280 | ~47 cm |
| CS2 | 400–1200 | 400 DPI × 2.0 = 800 | ~52 cm |
| Apex Legends | 800–1500 | 800 DPI × 1.2 = 960 | ~43 cm |
These are observed bands, not rules — outliers exist in every game. But if your eDPI sits far outside your game's band, that is worth investigating: you are either a rare exception or fighting your settings. (cm/360 figures use each game's yaw value: 0.07°/count for Valorant, 0.022°/count for CS2 and Apex — see our methodology.)
Valorant: 200–400 eDPI
Valorant has the lowest sensitivity culture of any major FPS, and the design explains why: precise, methodical gunplay with one-tap headshot potential, minimal movement acceleration, and long sightlines where a pixel of error is a missed shot. The overwhelming majority of professional Valorant players sit between 200 and 400 eDPI, with the densest cluster around 250–320.
Common ways to land there:
- 400 DPI × 0.5–1.0 sens = 200–400 eDPI
- 800 DPI × 0.25–0.5 sens = 200–400 eDPI
- 1600 DPI × 0.125–0.25 sens = 200–400 eDPI
Note how the DPI varies wildly while eDPI stays put — that is the whole point. At 280 eDPI (say, 800 × 0.35), a full 360° turn takes about 46.7 cm of mouse movement: a big, deliberate arm movement. Valorant rewards that deliberateness. If you are coming from a faster game, expect the first week to feel sluggish — that is normal, and it is why so many converts overshoot their sensitivity at first.
For current per-player numbers, see our Valorant pro settings page, where every entry lists DPI, sensitivity, eDPI, and cm/360.
CS2: 400–1200 eDPI
Counter-Strike's sensitivity culture is the oldest in esports, and it shows: the classic competitive setup — 400 DPI — originated here in the 1.6 era and persists today. Most professional CS2 players fall roughly between 400 and 1200 eDPI, with a heavy cluster around 600–1000.
Common ways to land there:
- 400 DPI × 1.0–3.0 sens = 400–1200 eDPI (the traditional route)
- 800 DPI × 0.5–1.5 sens = 400–1200 eDPI
- 1600 DPI × 0.25–0.75 sens = 400–1200 eDPI
The canonical example — 400 DPI × 2.0 = 800 eDPI, about 52 cm/360 — has been a competitive staple for two decades. CS2's band sits higher than Valorant's partly because of scale differences between the games' sensitivity systems (remember: eDPI is only comparable within a game), and partly because Counter-Strike's faster round pacing and wider flick angles reward slightly quicker turns.
One CS2-specific note: the game reads raw input by default, bypassing Windows entirely — so your Windows pointer settings do not matter in-game, though keeping 6/11 with acceleration off is still correct for everything else. Current per-player data lives on our CS2 pro settings page.
Apex Legends: 800–1500 eDPI
Apex plays faster than Valorant or CS2 — slide-jumping, wall-bouncing, and third-party chaos demand constant 180° awareness. Its professional scene reflects that: most Apex pros sit roughly between 800 and 1500 eDPI, noticeably higher than the tactical shooters.
Common ways to land there:
- 400 DPI × 2.0–3.75 sens = 800–1500 eDPI
- 800 DPI × 1.0–1.9 sens = 800–1500 eDPI
- 1600 DPI × 0.5–0.95 sens = 800–1500 eDPI
At 960 eDPI (800 × 1.2), a full turn takes about 43.3 cm — quicker than the Valorant and CS2 examples above, which matches Apex's demand for reactive turns. Do not be tempted to copy a Valorant eDPI into Apex or vice versa: the numbers live on different scales. Convert by feel (cm/360), never by number.
See our Apex Legends pro settings page for current per-player data.
How to convert your sensitivity between games
Switching games without a conversion method is how muscle memory goes to die. The correct procedure uses cm/360 — the physical distance your mouse travels for a full turn — because it is the one sensitivity measure that means the same thing in every game:
- Find your current cm/360. Enter your DPI, sensitivity, and game in our cm/360 calculator.
- Convert. Enter that cm/360 into the sensitivity converter with your target game selected. It computes the sensitivity that produces the identical turn distance, using each game's verified yaw value.
- Sanity-check the eDPI. Run the result through the eDPI calculator and confirm it lands inside the typical band for the new game. If it does not, something is off — recheck your inputs.
What you should never do: copy the sensitivity number itself. "1.0 sensitivity" in Valorant and "1.0 sensitivity" in CS2 produce completely different turn speeds. The number is meaningless without the game's scale attached.
Finding your number: a practical method
- Pick a DPI and freeze it. 800 is the safest default — native on every sensor, in the middle of every pro's repertoire.
- Set sensitivity to land mid-band. For Valorant, 800 × 0.35 = 280 eDPI. For CS2, 800 × 1.0 = 800 eDPI. For Apex, 800 × 1.2 = 960 eDPI.
- Play for two weeks minimum. Aim is motor learning; your brain needs hundreds of repetitions to calibrate. Judging a sensitivity after one session is like judging a shoe after one step.
- Adjust in 5–10% steps. If you consistently overshoot targets, lower sensitivity slightly; if you consistently undershoot or cannot keep up with strafing enemies, raise it slightly. One variable, small steps.
- Stop when it disappears. The right sensitivity is the one you stop thinking about. If you are constantly aware of your sensitivity mid-fight, it is still wrong — or you have not given it enough time.
Resist the urge to copy a favorite pro exactly. Pros have thousands of hours on their settings, specific mousepad space, and often unusual grips. Their eDPI range is useful information; their exact number is trivia. For the training side of the equation — the part settings cannot do for you — see how to improve your aim.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best DPI for FPS games?
Most professional FPS players use 400, 800, or 1600 DPI. But the DPI number alone is less important than eDPI (DPI × in-game sensitivity): Valorant pros mostly use 200–400 eDPI, CS2 pros roughly 400–1200 eDPI, and Apex pros roughly 800–1500 eDPI. Pick a DPI, then tune sensitivity to land in your game's range.
What eDPI do Valorant pros use?
Most professional Valorant players use between roughly 200 and 400 eDPI. Common combinations include 800 DPI × 0.35 sensitivity (280 eDPI) and 400 DPI × 0.7 sensitivity (280 eDPI). See our Valorant pro settings page for current per-player data.
What eDPI do CS2 pros use?
Most professional CS2 players fall roughly between 400 and 1200 eDPI, with many clustered around 600–1000. A classic example is 400 DPI × 2.0 sensitivity = 800 eDPI. See our CS2 pro settings page for current per-player data.
Is 400 DPI or 800 DPI better for FPS?
Neither is inherently better. At the same eDPI (for example 400 DPI × 0.7 vs 800 DPI × 0.35 in Valorant, both 280 eDPI), crosshair speed is identical. The 800 DPI setup reports movement in finer steps, which can help at high sensitivities. Both are used by professionals; pick whichever feels better and stop changing it.
Should I copy a pro player's sensitivity?
Copying a pro's exact sensitivity rarely works because hand size, grip, mousepad space, and muscle memory differ. Use pro eDPI ranges as a sanity check that you are in a reasonable band, then fine-tune by feel over several weeks.
What is a good cm/360 for FPS games?
Most tactical FPS players use roughly 30–60 cm per 360-degree turn (for example, 280 eDPI in Valorant is about 46.7 cm/360). Faster-paced games like Apex skew lower, around 25–45 cm/360. Use our cm/360 calculator to find yours.
Does high DPI give an advantage in FPS?
Not by itself. What matters is eDPI, and pros are spread across 400, 800, and 1600 DPI while clustering tightly on eDPI. Higher DPI at the same eDPI gives finer input steps, which is a small theoretical benefit, but consistency and practice matter far more.
How do I convert my sensitivity between FPS games?
Measure your current cm/360 (how far you move the mouse for a full turn), then use a sensitivity converter to find the sensitivity in the new game that produces the same cm/360. Never copy sensitivity numbers directly between games, because each game scales them differently.