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Mouse DPI & Sensitivity Test

Measure your mouse sensor's true hardware DPI (Dots Per Inch) / CPI against calibrated physical mousepad distance. Find out if your mouse sensor suffers from positive or negative acceleration.

Instructions: Place your mouse against a ruler. Hold click/touch inside the red START circle and drag exactly the chosen distance, then release.
START
Measured True DPI -- dpi Pending drag test
Screen Pixel Distance 0 px Total horizontal pixels
Sensor Deviation 0.0% Error vs nominal setting
Max Speed (IPS) -- IPS Inches per second velocity
Mouse DPI & Sensor Calibration Guide

How to Use This Test

  1. Place a physical ruler on your mousepad alongside your mouse.
  2. Select your physical drag distance (e.g. 2 inches or 5 cm) and enter your mouse's nominal DPI (e.g. 800 or 1600 DPI).
  3. Click and hold inside the calibration arena.
  4. Slide your mouse along the ruler edge by exactly the chosen physical distance in a straight horizontal line.
  5. Release the mouse button to view your measured true DPI and percentage deviation.

DPI vs. CPI Explained

While commonly called DPI (Dots Per Inch), the technically accurate term is CPI (Counts Per Inch). It measures how many signal "counts" the optical sensor registers for every physical inch your mouse moves across your desk surface. At 800 DPI, sliding your mouse one inch moves your screen cursor 800 pixels.

Why Actual DPI Differs from Software Settings

It is normal for measured DPI to differ slightly from manufacturer ratings (a variance of ±2% to 5% is standard). Differences in mouse skate (feet) thickness, mousepad fabric weave, and microscopic lens placement tolerances all influence the optical sensor's focal distance.

Disable "Enhance Pointer Precision"

In Windows, open Control Panel > Mouse > Pointer Options and uncheck "Enhance pointer precision". This feature adds mouse acceleration, altering cursor distance depending on how fast you swipe and making consistent muscle memory in games impossible.