How to choose the best VALORANT sensitivity settings and DPI

Finding the right balance with your sensitivity is key to improving in VALORANT.

Killjoy holding a vandal
Screenshot by Dot Esports

Your mouse sensitivity and dots per inch (DPI) are two of the most important settings in VALORANT.

Recommended Videos

Precision matters in VALORANT. If your sensitivity is too high, you’ll have a hard time accurately clicking on your opponent’s heads. If it’s too low, reacting to a shot, a flank, or a flash can be equally demanding.

Finding the right balance with your sensitivity is key to improving your mechanics, so here are the best VALORANT sensitivity settings and DPI.

Best DPI for VALORANT

I recommend using 800 DPI for VALORANT. It’s neither too fast nor too slow. For tactical shooters, the best players—those who compete for thousands of dollars in cash prizes—tend to use lower DPIs like 400, 800, and, in some cases, 1,600.

What is DPI?

Your DPI dictates the speed at which your mouse cursor moves on your screen. It’s the basis for everything you do on your computer, from browsing the internet to playing a game. Before you adjust your sensitivity, you should always focus on your DPI.

Tip:

Mouse DPI varies, but they generally range from 400 to 3,200. The lower your DPI, the slower your cursor will move.

Best sensitivity settings for VALORANT

I recommend a 0.40 sensitivity. It’s on the lower side of the scale and might take some time to get used to, but it’s not so low that it impairs your movement.

The general rule of thumb is to maintain an eDPI on the lower end—under 300. EDPI stands for effective DPI, which is the total DPI you choose multiplied by your in-game sensitivity. Say you choose 800 DPI for your mouse and 0.35 as the in-game sensitivity, your eDPI will be 280, 800 times 0.35.

High or low sensitivity: What should you choose in VALORANT?

The higher the sensitivity, the more quickly you can track your opponents. You’ll be more accurate, precise, and in control with low sensitivity.

Consider a lower sensitivity if you like using weapons like the Operator, Vandal, Guardian, or Bulldog. But if you favor using spray-friendly weapons like the Phantom, Spectre, Odin, or Ares, choose a higher sensitivity.

The agent you main also plays a role in determining optimal sensitivity settings. Agents like Jett, Yoru, Neon, and Raze thrive on unpredictable movement mechanics and cater to higher sensitivities. You’ll need to satchel, dash, and teleport into sites and engage in close-quarter fights, and may be required to land flick shots frequently. Lower sensitivity won’t allow you to move that freely.

However, agents like Reyna, Phoenix, and others do not need much higher sensitivity. That said, controllers and sentinels often like to play defensive and adopt the spray-and-pray style, and the Phantom and Odin are the best choices for these strategies. In that case, you might want to turn up your sensitivity.

Tip:

Take note of your physical surroundings. If you have limited space on your desk or a small mousepad, bump up your sensitivity to compensate. Feel free to experiment with a lower sensitivity if you have plenty of space.

Dot Esports’ VALORANT DPI and sensitivity settings recommendation

DPI800In-game Sensitivity0.4
eDPI320Scoped Sensitivity1
Polling Rate1,000Windows Sensitivity6

I use a Logitech G Pro X Superlight wireless gaming mouse and have plenty of space on my desk. This allows me to lower my sensitivity, giving me a tad more accuracy when I’m scoping in with the Operator. This is generally the DPI and sensitivity I go for, but I sometimes bump it up or down after going on a frustrating loss streak.

Pro VALORANT DPI and sensitivity settings

Of course, pros know it best, so I get that you’d like to take it from them. Since it depends largely on playstyle, most VALORANT pros have starkly different sensitivity preferences from each other. Here are some notable examples of sensitivity preferences from the esports scene:

PlayerDPISensitivity
TenZ1,6000.201
Yay8000.27
ScreaM4000.786
Demon11,6000.1
Aspas8000.4
MaKo4000.45
something8000.65
cNed8000.3
nAts8000.49
ethan4000.6

After you’ve applied the best VALORANT sensitivity settings and DPI outlined above, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with them by practicing at the shooting range. Once you think you’ve got it, head into some real matches. Good luck!

Author
Image of Jerome Heath
Jerome Heath
Senior editor at Dot Esports. Jerome has been in and around the gaming industry for the last eight years, and he's not going anywhere anytime soon.
Author
Image of Sharmila Ganguly
Sharmila Ganguly
Freelance Writer at Dot Esports. An enthusiastic gamer who bumped into the intricacies of video game journalism in 2021 and has been hustling ever since. Obsessed with first-person shooter titles, especially VALORANT. Contact: sharmila@dotesports.com