KXCE gets asked about his controller constantly, and his answer is always the same: "My controller's overclocked to 4,000… I just overclock it regardless, 'cause I swear it's inconsistent if you don't." Here's exactly what that means and exactly how to do it — using the same setup he uses. (For transparency: KXCE has said on stream that Battle Beaver sponsors him — and Battle Beaver also happens to be the company that got this whole method officially signed by Microsoft, so theirs is genuinely the canonical guide.)
What overclocking actually does
Your controller reports its inputs to your PC a fixed number of times per second — the polling rate. A standard DualSense or DS4 plugged into a PC reports at roughly 250Hz (every 4ms). Overclocking raises that to 1000–8000Hz, so the game sees your stick and button inputs sooner and more consistently. That consistency is the real win — it's why KXCE says it feels "inconsistent if you don't."
What you need
- A PC — this is a Windows driver tweak. It does nothing on a PS5 or Xbox console.
- A wired USB connection — Bluetooth can't be overclocked with this method.
- The free tool hidusbf by SweetLow — download the signed build from Battle Beaver's official overclocking page (they paid to have the drivers EV-signed and Microsoft-attested, which means you no longer need to disable Secure Boot on Windows 11) or grab it from the official GitHub.
The exact steps (DualSense Edge / DualSense / Battle Beaver DS4)
- Windows 11 only: turn off Memory Integrity — Windows Security → Core Isolation → Memory Integrity → Off. (Secure Boot can stay ON with the signed build.)
- Download the tool and unzip it to a permanent folder — the driver lives there, so don't park it somewhere you'll delete later.
- Open the DRIVER folder and run Setup.exe (Run as Administrator if prompted; the "unknown publisher" warning is normal).
- Plug your controller in via USB, then set the Devices dropdown to "All."
- Find your controller in the list — look for "Wireless Controller" in the Child Name(s) column — and click it.
- Pick your rate in the Selected Rate dropdown (see below for what to pick), check "Filter On Device," and click "Install Service."
- Click Restart in the app — or just unplug and replug the controller.
- Verify: the Filter column should say Yes and the Rate column should show your chosen rate, even after a replug. Switch the Devices dropdown to "with HIDUSBF" — your controller should appear there. For a second opinion, run a polling test at gamepadtest.com.
- If Windows 11 fights you: right-click HIDUSBF_AS → Install, run 1kHz.cmd as Administrator, and check the GitHub wiki for the rest.
What rate should you pick?
- PS4 / DS4-based controllers (including Battle Beaver's DS4 builds): 1000Hz max. That's the hardware ceiling, and 1000Hz is widely considered the gold standard anyway — under 1% CPU cost and rock stable.
- DualSense / DualSense Edge: 1000–8000Hz. KXCE runs 4000. 8000 sounds cooler but costs 5–10% of a CPU core, can cause audio crackle, can choke other USB devices on the same hub — and saves less than 1ms over 1000Hz. If in doubt: 1000. If you want what KXCE runs: 4000.
Is this bannable?
Straight answer: there are no known Ricochet bans for polling-rate overclocking, Battle Beaver publishes this guide openly, and pros have run it for years. Ricochet's enforcement targets hardware that modifies your inputs — Cronus, XIM, scripts, macros. A polling overclock doesn't touch your inputs; it just reports them faster. That said, it's a kernel-level driver filter and Activision has never officially blessed it — and at least one other publisher's anti-cheat (EA, Battlefield 2042) has refused to launch with an overclocked controller. Use your own judgment.
The Battle Beaver angle
Fun fact from the streams: KXCE actually moved off the DualSense Edge to a PS4-style Battle Beaver — not for speed, for his hands: "I just need to see if it's better for my hand." Battle Beaver also sells DualSense Edge stick modules and upgrades, and their newer Marius-board controllers hit 8000Hz natively without any of the steps above. If your controller's the problem, settings won't save you — as the man says about stick drift: "Get a new controller ASAP. You're just hindering yourself."
Got your controller dialed and still losing fights? That's a gameplay problem, not a gear problem — send KXCE your clips for a 1-on-1 breakdown. And join the email squad for setup updates like this one.