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In competitive FPS gaming, the debate about high sensitivity and low sensitivity never really ends. Both styles work, both have pros and cons, and both feel very different when you play. So it helps to understand what each one actually does and how it affects your aiming.
High mouse sensitivity
High sensitivity makes the crosshair move a lot with very small mouse movement, so it feels easy to turn fast and react when things get chaotic. In fast-paced games this helps a lot because you can snap to targets without dragging your arm too far. Close-range fights also feel smoother because flicking left and right needs less effort.
But the problem with high sensitivity is precision. The crosshair gets twitchy especially when you are trying to make tiny adjustments. A small shake in your hand can push the crosshair too far which leads to overshooting. This is why a lot of high-sens players take longer to get consistent. You need to train your hand to calm down and control the small movements.
With high sensitivity you usually rely more on flicks. Tracking can feel harder since the crosshair moves so quickly. Some players like that because they enjoy fast reactions and quick turns, but some struggle with the stability.
High sensitivity usually works better in games where enemies come from random angles and you need to turn fast without thinking too much, like Apex Legends.
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Low mouse sensitivity
Low sensitivity needs bigger mouse movement from your hand or arm to do the same thing. So the crosshair feels steadier and easier to control. People who care about accuracy usually like this because micro adjustments feel more predictable. It helps a lot in mid-range and long-range fights since the crosshair does not jump around as much.
But low sensitivity has its own issues. You need more desk space to move the mouse properly. Turning the camera takes longer and big flicks feel heavier. On top of that you will lift and reposition the mouse more often which gets tiring when playing for hours.
Still a lot of players prefer low sens in games where crosshair placement matters. When you already know common angles and enemy movement paths, lower sensitivity lets you hold those lines more steadily. Counter-Strike is the best example because movement is predictable and aim needs to be clean.
Muscle Tension
Sensitivity also affects how your muscles feel after long sessions. High sensitivity generally makes you use your wrist and fingers more. Since you do a lot of quick flicks the grip can get tight without you noticing. After some time the hand and wrist feel tense or tired because they do most of the work.
Low sensitivity pushes the work to your arm and shoulder instead. You make bigger movements so those parts take the load. This can feel tiring after long gaming sessions especially if you keep lifting and repositioning the mouse. The wrist feels less stressed but the arm gets more tired because it is always moving.
Both styles can cause fatigue if your posture is off or your grip is too stiff. Taking short breaks and keeping the grip relaxed helps no matter what sensitivity you use.
How to calculate new mouse sensitivity when changing DPI
A modern mouse nowadays can have a range of DPI from 200 to 8,000 or even up to 16,000.
The formula for calculating new sensitivity:
For example
- Old sensitivity: 3
- Old DPI: 400
- New DPI: 800
Calculation: 3 × 400 ÷ 800 = 1.5
New in-game sensitivity = 1.5