Sensitivity in First Person Shooters (FPS) games is one of the most important aspects when trying to get ahead of the competition. We all have that one friend that has a mousepad the size of a building because, he says, low sensitivity is key. On the other hand, you know that guy who moves one millimeter and does a full 360 and says just use something that is comfortable for you. Well, it sucks, but they are both kinda right…
In short, using a lower sensitivity is superior. The movements are more precise and controllable but you have to make sure it is comfortable for you.
Is It Even Important?
Oh boy, yeah, it’s important. But why?
- First, consistency. When you have your sensitivity in place and you do not change it, you get used to it and build muscle memory.
- Once you have figured out your sensitivity, you will have a slight advantage over your opponents because you got your settings right. You are comfortable and ready to take out some kids.
- It governs the accuracy of your aim, rotation speed which are super crucial for FPS games. Some games might need a higher sensitivity while others will be better with a lower sensitivity.
SLOW vs FAST
I have an idea. There are people who are getting paid to play competitive games. Let’s analyze their sensitivity. Check out this interesting article that analyzed mouse sensitivity settings for the top 20 teams players in CS:GO. Basically, most of the pro players use low eDPI. About 30-50cm/360. So of course sensitivity is a personal preference but we should all cater to the lower spectrum. If that’s the good for the pros, that’s what good to me.
But Why Slow Is Better?
- Lower sensitivity allows you to make more precise movements and do micro abjustments way easier.
- Because you have a larger area to use (instead of 10cm/360 you have 50cm/360), you can more easily target your opponents anywhere on the screen which is way harder with higher sensitivity as you will probably overshoot your opponents.
- Micro-twitches, way more controllable with a lower sensitivity.
Okay, So How Do I Choose My Sensitivity?
Again, let’s take a look at the pros. Of course, everyone is different and you might find yourself hating your favorite pro player sens. I would say, go ahead and take the average sensitivity of the pros in your game and then adjust it accordingly. If you’ve always used higher sens and jumping straight to the pros is a big leap. Do it slowly and gradually. You will thank me for that.
Now you are playing with the average pro player sensitivity in your game. Experiment with it and see how it feels. Do a couple games and then see the common pattern – do you overshoot your opponents? You might need to lower it. You can’t make quick turns? Go ahead and increase it (not too much of course as slow is key IMO). You should arrive to a sensitivity that is comfortable for you.
Make sure to check out How To Choose The Perfect Sensitivity For You.
You're Good To Go
Once you find something that is comfortable for you. PLEASE do not change it. Muscle memory is important and there is no need to change your sens. If you lost that battle, it might just be because you made a couple mistakes and not because your sens is wrong. I remember some days struggling in Valorant and changing crosshairs every match. But then I realized that I suck, and that’s not the crosshair’s fault. Same with sensitivity. Changing your sensitivity everyday would not help you rank up. With that said, if I am your favorite pro (I am flattered) this is my sens in some popular FPS games.
- Valorant: DPI: 400, Sens: 0.5
- CS:GO: DPI: 400 Sens: 2
- Warzone: DPI: 400 Sens: 7
- Siege: DPI: 400, Sens 7
- Apex Legends: DPI: 400, Sens: 2
- Overwatch: DPI: 400 Sens: 6
Photo by Higor Hanschen on Unsplash
