Mouse DPI test
Move the mouse a known distance and see how many counts it reports.
- Put the mouse against a mark on your desk: a ruler, or the long edge of a bank card (3.37 in).
- Press Start, then move the mouse straight to the right by 4 in.
- Click, or press Space or Enter, to stop. Escape cancels.
Counts: 0
- Counts are what the mouse itself reports, before your system’s pointer speed is applied, so the pointer speed setting doesn’t change the result.
- Measure three times or more: the median evens out small slips.
Nothing leaves your device
This tool runs entirely in your browser. What you type, play or record here stays on your device: nothing is uploaded or saved on a server.
Example
Example: checking that a mouse set to 800 DPI really is 800
Unit: inches, distance: Medium (4 in). The mouse’s software says 800 DPI, so 800 goes under Your mouse’s setting. Each run is the counts the mouse reported over the 4 inches it was moved.
- DPI is counts divided by inches: 3,172 ÷ 4 = 793.
- Run 3 drifted sideways by more than 15 % of the move, so it carries a warning; remove it or measure again.
- The median of the runs is 798, within 5 % of 800, so the nearest common setting is 800 DPI.
| Run | Counts | Distance | DPI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3,172 | 4 in | 793 |
| 2 | 3,215 | 4 in | 804 |
| 3 | 3,190 | 4 in | 798, with a warning: not straight |
Median 798 DPI, spread ± 0.7 %, deviation from the 800 setting −0.3 %: the setting is real. A deviation beyond 5 % is shown in a warning colour.
How it works
- Put the mouse against a ruler or a bank card’s edge on the desk and choose the distance.
- Press Start and move the mouse straight to the right by exactly that distance, then click to stop.
- Repeat two or three times and read the median DPI and the nearest common setting.
Frequently asked questions
- What is DPI?
- Dots (or counts) per inch: how many movement reports the mouse sends for each inch it travels. At 800 DPI, moving an inch reports 800 counts; a higher DPI moves the pointer further for the same hand movement.
- Why measure it — isn’t it printed on the box?
- The real figure is often a few percent off the advertised one, and a mouse’s buttons or software may have changed it. Knowing the true DPI lets you match sensitivity between mice or check a setting really took effect.
- Does my pointer speed setting change the result?
- No, when the page gets raw counts (it says so): those come straight from the mouse. If your browser only gives accelerated movement, it warns you — turn off pointer acceleration and measure again.
- How accurate is it?
- As accurate as the distance you move: a 2 mm slip over 10 cm is 2 %. Use a longer distance, move straight, and take the median of several runs.
- How do I check if my mouse is really 1600 DPI?
- Type 1600 under Your mouse’s setting, measure three times over the long distance (20 cm or 8 in) and read the deviation: within a few percent, the setting is real. At 1,600 DPI, 8 inches should report about 12,800 counts.
- Why does a run have a warning sign?
- The mouse moved sideways by more than 15 % of the distance along the line, which can put the result off by a percent or more. Remove that run with its button, or measure again with the mouse kept against the ruler.
- Is anything sent anywhere?
- No. It is measured in your browser.
Related tools
⌖ Mouse test Click, scroll and move — see what your mouse really sends. ⌖ Mouse polling rate test How many times a second your mouse reports to the computer. ⊕ Aim trainer Click, flick and track — warm up your aim in 30 seconds. ─ Online ruler Real size on any screen — calibrated with the card in your wallet.