Aim Science

eDPI vs cm/360: Understanding Aim Metrics

Learn the crucial differences between game-specific effective DPI (eDPI) and universal physical turn distance (cm/360) to maintain consistent crosshair muscle memory across all titles.

Updated: 2026-08-24• 5 min read

1. What Are eDPI and cm/360?

Gamers track their aiming speed using two standard metrics:

eDPI

Effective DPI (eDPI)

A simple product of your mouse hardware DPI and in-game sensitivity (eDPI = DPI × Sens).

cm/360

Centimeters per 360°

The exact real-world physical distance in centimeters your hand must travel on the mousepad to complete a full 360° camera rotation.

2. When eDPI Works Best

eDPI is the fastest and easiest metric when discussing settings with other players within the exact same game. If a teammate in Counter-Strike 2 mentions they use 800 eDPI, you immediately know their aim speed whether they play on 400, 800, or 1600 DPI.

3. The Major Limitation of eDPI Across Games

eDPI is mathematically tied to the specific game's internal rotation scale (yaw constant). Because each game engine calculates rotation differently, eDPI cannot be transferred across different games:

Cross-Game Comparison Example:

• 800 eDPI in CS2: Equals 51.95 cm / 360° (Tactical Arm Aim).

• 800 eDPI in Valorant: Equals 16.33 cm / 360° (Over 3× faster wrist aim!).

4. Why cm/360 Is the Universal Standard

Physical distance (cm/360) is the only true universal standard. If your physical sensitivity is 35 cm / 360°, entering the matching in-game sensitivity sliders in CS2, Valorant, Apex Legends, and Overwatch 2 guarantees that a 10 cm hand swipe moves your crosshair the exact same angle across every game.

5. Direct Comparison Table

Metric	eDPI (Effective DPI)	cm/360 (Centimeters per 360°)
Calculation Formula	DPI × In-Game Sensitivity	[360° ÷ (DPI × Sens × Yaw)] × 2.54
Scope	Single game title only	Universal across all 3D game engines
Units	Abstract numerical index	Real-world physical metric units (cm)
Hardware Agnostic?	Yes (same within game)	Yes (across all mice & games)
Cross-Game Comparison	Invalid (different yaw factors)	100% accurate 1:1 muscle memory match

FAQ

eDPI vs cm/360 FAQ

Common questions about cross-game sensitivity metrics.

Can I compare my CS2 eDPI directly to my Valorant eDPI?

No. Because Valorant uses a higher engine yaw multiplier (0.07 vs 0.022), 800 eDPI in Valorant is more than 3 times faster than 800 eDPI in CS2. Use our cm/360 Calculator to match them accurately.

How do I measure my cm/360 in practice?

Place your mouse against a ruler on your mousepad. Look at a specific in-game reference point, move your mouse horizontally until you have rotated exactly 360 degrees back to the mark, and measure the distance traveled in centimeters.