DPI是指摄影时常用的术语，也指计算机鼠标(computer mice)，尤其是游戏鼠标。您知道用于电脑鼠标的(computer mice)DPI是什么意思吗？您知道为什么各大游戏配件制造商（Razer、ASUS RoG、SteelSeries等）都展示他们最新的高 DPI 鼠标(high-DPI mouse)吗？高DPI总能造就好鼠标吗？如果您想在讨论鼠标时了解DPI是什么，请阅读以下文章：(DPI)
什么是电脑鼠标的(computer mouse)DPI（每英寸点数(Dots Per Inch)）？
计算机的鼠标 DPI 是一种硬件规范，它告诉您鼠标移动的速度(A computer's mouse DPI is a hardware specification that tells you how fast your mouse moves)。DPI 是Dots Per Inch 的缩写，(Dots Per Inch,)鼠标DPI是指鼠标的硬件灵敏度(hardware sensitivity)。较高的DPI意味着您的鼠标移动得更快，而较低的DPI意味着您的鼠标移动得更慢。
这是如何运作的？首先(First)，您必须知道是什么让电脑鼠标移动(computer mouse move)。鼠标的DPI 分辨率由其内部的(DPI resolution)硬件传感器(hardware sensor)提供。目前老鼠常用的传感器有两种类型：光学和激光。两种类型的传感器都使用光来检测鼠标的移动。光学鼠标(Optical mice)使用普通光，而激光鼠标使用(laser mice use)红外光。无论如何(Regardless)，鼠标发出的光脉冲由内部处理器读取，该处理器将它们映射并将它们转换为运动。具有更高的DPI 规格(DPI specification)，您的移动速度更快，因为鼠标在您使用它的表面上投射出更多、更快的光线。
您还应该知道，当提到鼠标灵敏度时， DPI实际上并不是一个正确的术语。正确的术语是CPI或每英寸计数(Counts Per Inch)，它是鼠标传感器在其移动的表面上检测到的虚拟像素的总和。
大多数鼠标的传感器只能计数 800 到 1600 DPI。这是因为在老鼠身上发现的传感器的物理尺寸有限，无法获得更高的分辨率。为了解决这个限制，许多硬件制造商使用鼠标传感器计算的虚拟像素，而不是(mouse sensor)桌面或鼠标垫上(desk or mouse pad)的物理点。
为了更容易理解，假设鼠标上的传感器在移动一英寸时可以计算 800 个点。制造商可以创建传感器，为他们看到的每个物理点计算四个或更多虚拟像素。这意味着物理DPI为 800 的(DPI)鼠标传感器(mouse sensor)实际上可以达到等于 800 乘以 4 个或更多虚拟点的分辨率。结果是您可以拥有3200 DPI的(DPI)鼠标传感器(mouse sensor)，而实际上它只能检测和读取桌面或鼠标垫上(desk or mousepad)的 800 个点。这就是制造商制造提供DPI分辨率高达 12,000 或 16,000 的传感器的鼠标的方式，这也是大多数鼠标传感器(mouse sensor)具有您可以划分为 800 - 1600 的DPI(DPIs)，这是它们真正的物理DPI(DPIs)。
不幸的是，当鼠标传感器将物理点分割成虚拟点时，它们也会为错误和噪声(error and noise)腾出空间。反过来，这会使鼠标不准确(mouse inaccurate)，这与您想要的完全相反。因此，有时较低的DPI比较高的DPI更好。对于制造商为什么要突破鼠标传感器分辨率的极限，唯一正确的答案是，这是一个很好的营销技巧(marketing trick)，可以让他们脱颖而出。
如何找出鼠标的DPI
找出答案的一种方法是检查鼠标的硬件规格。您应该可以在鼠标的支持网站(support website)或其用户手册中执行此操作。另一种方法是安装您正在使用的鼠标的驱动程序和软件，并查看鼠标应用程序中可用的DPI设置。(DPI)
如何设置鼠标的 DPI？
某些计算机鼠标具有固定DPI的传感器，这意味着您无法更改其硬件灵敏度(hardware sensitivity)（或速度，如果您愿意）。大多数普通老鼠的标准DPI约为 800 到 1200 DPI。但是，您可以使用软件调整它们的速度。但这并不意味着您可以更改鼠标的DPI - 您只需使用为此目的设计的应用程序调整该默认速度(default speed)的倍数。尽管您可以为此使用第三方应用程序，但最简单的方法是使用操作系统(operating system)提供的设置。如果您使用的是Windows 10，这里有一个可以帮助您的指南：如何在视窗 10(Windows 10)。
Razer、SteelSeries、ROG、HyperX、ROCCAT等品牌的游戏鼠标通常配备高科技传感器，可提供高达 16,000 的可定制DPI （这是为(DPI)办公电脑或商务笔记本电脑(Office PCs or business laptops)）。这些鼠标的DPI 灵敏度(DPI sensitivity)可以设置为制造商预设的各种标准值，有些还可以接受您喜欢的精确值。一些游戏鼠标上有专门的DPI按钮，它们在DPI中循环(DPI)按下它们时的值。大多数游戏鼠标还附带专门的应用程序，可让您调整DPI或设置自定义DPI步长。
游戏的最佳鼠标DPI值是多少？
这是一个有趣的问题，有很多答案。一些游戏玩家发誓低DPI值，而另一些玩家则希望尽可能大的DPI值。但是，在游戏世界(gaming world)中，主要玩第一人称射击游戏的游戏玩家通常更喜欢低至800 或 1200 的DPI值，因为这样可以在使用狙击步枪(sniper rifle)时进行更好的控制。但是，如果您在高分辨率屏幕(high-resolution screen)（如 4K）上玩游戏，则更高的鼠标DPI可能更适合您。例如，虽然我更喜欢在 1080p 屏幕上使用 800 DPI设置的鼠标，但我们的主编喜欢使用 5000 DPI的灵敏度(DPI)在他的鼠标上，当他在双显示器设置上工作和玩耍时，每个显示器都有 2K 分辨率。这个问题的真正答案是你必须尝试看看什么是最适合你的选择。
你在鼠标上使用什么 DPI？
现在您知道在谈论鼠标时DPI是什么意思了。(DPI)您知道这是一个硬件规范，并且您可能已经意识到它并不意味着那么多。甚至有人可能会说，鼠标DPI只是一种营销噱头(marketing gimmick)，并不重要。我们很好奇：您是使用低DPI 鼠标(DPI mouse)还是更喜欢具有高DPI 规格和可自定义配置文件的(DPI specs)游戏鼠标(gaming mouse)？
Simple questions: What is DPI when referring to a computer mouse?
DРI is a term that iѕ commonly used when referring to photography, but also to computer mice, espеcially gaming mice. Do you know what DPI means when used for computеr miсe? Do уou know why every major manufacturer оf gaming acсessories (Razer, ASUS RoG, SteelSeries, etc) shows off with their latеst high-DPI mouse? Does a high DPI always make a good mouse? If you want to find out what DPI is when disсussing about a mouse, read this article:
What is DPI (Dots Per Inch) for a computer mouse?
A computer's mouse DPI is a hardware specification that tells you how fast your mouse moves. DPI is an acronym for Dots Per Inch, and mouse DPI refers to the mouse' hardware sensitivity. A higher DPI means that your mouse moves faster, while a lower DPI means that your mouse moves slower.
How does that work? First, you must know what makes a computer mouse move. The DPI resolution of a mouse is given by the hardware sensor inside it. The sensors commonly used by mice these days are of two types: optical and laser. Both types of sensors use light to detect the movement of the mouse. Optical mice use normal light, while laser mice use infrared light. Regardless, the bursts of light emitted by the mouse are read by an internal processor that maps them and transforms them into movement. With a higher DPI specification, you get faster movement because the mouse throws more light, faster, on the surface on which you use it.
You should also know that DPI is not actually a correct term when referring to mouse sensitivity. The correct term is CPI, or Counts Per Inch, which is the sum of virtual pixels that the sensor of a mouse detects on the surface it moves on.
Most mice have a sensor that is only able to count 800 up to 1600 DPI. That is because the sensors found on mice are limited in their physical size and cannot get higher resolutions. To counter this limitation, many hardware manufacturers use virtual pixels which the mouse sensor counts, instead of physical dots on your desk or mouse pad.
To make it easier to understand, imagine that the sensor on a mouse can count 800 dots when you move it one inch. Manufacturers can create sensors that count four or more virtual pixels for each physical dot they see. That means that a mouse sensor that has a physical DPI of 800 can actually get to resolutions equal to 800 multiplied by 4 or more virtual dots. The result is that you can have mouse sensors with 3200 DPI when in reality it is only capable of detecting and reading 800 dots on your desk or mousepad. This is how manufacturers create mice that offer sensors with DPI resolutions as high as 12,000 or 16,000, and that is why most mouse sensors have DPIs that you can divide to 800 - 1600, which are their real physical DPIs.
Unfortunately, when mouse sensors split physical dots into virtual dots, they also make space for error and noise. That, in turn, makes the mouse inaccurate, which is the exact opposite of what you want. For that reason, sometimes a lower DPI is better than a higher DPI. The only right answer for why manufacturers are pushing the limits for mouse sensors resolution is that it is a great marketing trick that allows them to stand out.
How to find out what DPI your mouse has
One way to find out is to check the mouse' hardware specifications. You should be able to do that on your mouse's support website, or in its user manual. Another is to install the drivers and the software of the mouse that you are using and see what DPI settings are available in the mouse's app(s).
How to set your mouse's DPI?
Some computer mice have sensors with fixed DPI, meaning that you cannot change their hardware sensitivity (or speed if you prefer). Most regular mice have a standard DPI of about 800 to 1200 DPI. However, you can adjust their speed using software. This does not mean that you change the mouse's DPI though - you only adjust a multiplier of that default speed using an app designed for this purpose. Although you could use third-party apps for that, the easiest way is to use the settings offered by your operating system. In case you are using Windows 10, here is a guide that can help you: How to configure the mouse in Windows 10.
Gaming mice from brands like Razer, SteelSeries, ROG, HyperX, ROCCAT, and so on, are usually equipped with high-tech sensors that offer customizable DPI that can go as up as 16,000 (that is 16 times more than a regular mouse designed for Office PCs or business laptops). The DPI sensitivity of these mice can be set to various standard values that were pre-set by their manufacturers, and some also accept exact values that you choose as you like. Some gaming mice have dedicated DPI buttons on them which cycle through DPI values when you press them. Most gaming mice also come with specialized apps that let you adjust DPI or set custom DPI steps.
What are the best mouse DPI values for gaming?
This is an interesting question with many answers. Some gamers swear by low DPI values, while others want the largest DPI values possible. However, in the gaming world, it is common that gamers who play mainly first-person shooters prefer low DPI values as low as to 800 or 1200 because that allows for better control when using a sniper rifle for example. However, if you are playing a game on a high-resolution screen (like 4K), a higher mouse DPI could be better for you. For example, while I prefer using my mouse on an 800 DPI setting on a 1080p screen, our chief-editor likes using a sensitivity of 5000 DPI on his mouse, as he works and plays on a dual-monitor setup, with 2K resolution on each. The real answer to the question is that you have to experiment to see what is the best option for you.
What DPI do you use on your mouse?
Now you know what DPI means when talking about a mouse. You know that it is a hardware specification and you have probably realized that it does not mean all that much. Some people might even say that mouse DPI is just a marketing gimmick and does not matter. We are curious: do you use a low DPI mouse or do you prefer a gaming mouse with high DPI specs and customizable profiles?
