This is the result when a quadcopter strikes the wing of an aircraft

Quadcopters are a huge hit with consumers and the devices are continuing to sell like hotcakes.

While the vast majority of drone owners fly their machines safely and responsibly, there are a tiny number who are choosing to ignore the rules and take potentially catastrophic risks with their flying machine.

We’re talking about drone flights close to airports, reports of which have been on the rise in recent years, an apparent reflection of the increase in drone ownership.

With little research having been carried out on the impact of a drone strike on an aircraft, and thankfully very few real-life cases to examine, a team at the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) decided to hit the lab to find out more.

The researchers set about designing a test to mimic a midair collision between a drone and an airplane at an impact speed of 238 miles per hour.

Following calibration work to ensure proper control of the speed, orientation, and trajectory of the drone, the team launched a 2.1-pound DJI Phantom 2 quadcopter at the wing of a Mooney M20 aircraft, a small piston-powered, propeller-driven aircraft.

You might have expected the quadcopter to shatter on impact, but as you can see in the video above, the mostly plastic flying machine instead tore open the leading edge of the wing as it bore into the airplane.

“While the quadcopter broke apart, its energy and mass hung together to create significant damage to the wing,” Kevin Poormon, group leader for impact physics at UDRI, said in an account of the experiment.

Poormon expressed interest in conducting further tests using similar and larger drones on other parts of an aircraft such as windscreens and engines to learn more about the threat to airplanes posed by the remotely controlled machines.

While regulations have some effect on how people fly their quadcopters, Poormon suggests manufacturers should consider designing drones that break up more easily on impact — to reduce damage to objects they collide with — as one way to increase safety.

UDRI’s test focused on the wing of a small aircraft, but for many people the real danger lies in impact with jet engines. Bird strikes can ruin an engine, but what about the effects if a drone — which contains harder materials and carries a potentially explosive lithium-ion battery — gets sucked into the engine of a plane shortly after take-off or as it’s coming in to land?

To date, there’s only been one recorded incident in the U.S. of a drone colliding with an aircraft. It happened in 2017 over New York City, and involved a Phantom 4 and an Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. In that particular incident, the quadcopter came off worse.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Caltech is training drones to ‘herd’ flocks of birds. Here’s why
• The history of drones in 10 milestones
• This quadcopter is a ‘flying battery’ that can stay in the sky for 2 hours
• This autonomous drone ambulance concept won its creator a $20,000 prize
• Engineers in the U.K. unveil the world’s first graphene-skinned airplane

HP x360 premium Chromebook bends over backward to impress

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An 8th-generation Intel Core processor, crafted aluminum chassis, premium Bang & Olufsen speakers, and a 14-inch full HD touchscreen are features that don’t typically come to mind when talking about a Chromebook. Beyond Google’s Pixelbook with a whopping $1,000 price tag, most Chromebooks are relegated to the budget lineup. However, HP intends to turn some heads with its latest x360, a premium Chromebook aimed at individuals who love Chrome OS but are seeking a bit more of a premium feel.

Starting with the machine’s design, HP is letting you know that the x360 isn’t an ordinary Chromebook. The device is designed with an aluminum chassis, including a 3D stamped metal keyboard deck. The top cover then goes through a process that creates what HP says is responsible for creating a ceramic-like white finish. Even the keyboard deck’s keycaps have been colored to match the machine’s gray-blue design.

On paper, the machine’s internals doesn’t appear to be slouching either. You won’t find a Celeron or Atom processor inside the x360; it comes stocked with either an 8th-gen Intel Core i3 or i5 processor, so we hopefully shouldn’t see any issues when watching high-resolution videos via Chrome. The Intel CPU is paired with 64GB of local storage — about standard for a Chromebook — and up to 8GB of DDR4 memory.

Featuring up to 14 hours of battery life, HP is also betting that its new machine will last you throughout the day, whether you are working or watching your favorite shows on Netflix. Entertainment shouldn’t be too shabby either with integrated Bang & Olufsen speakers and a full HD 1080p touchscreen display with ultrathin narrow bezels. Those concerned about ports need not be with two USB-C ports, one USB-A port, a MicroSD port, and audio jacks.

Existing fans of Google’s online ecosystem will be happy to hear that the purchase of HP’s latest Chromebook also includes two complimentary years of Google Cloud’s 100GB storage to plan to save your most important files and precious moments. Android fans can not only easily sync their devices, but also run their favorite Android apps directly on the Chromebook.

Available for pre-order beginning today, the HP Chromebook x360 will ship October 14 starting at $599. Alternatively, the x360 can also be pre-order via BestBuy.com or picked up in stores on October 21.

Editors’ Recommendations

• HP Chromebook x2 Review
• The best Chromebooks of 2018
• Samsung Chromebook Plus V2 review
• Lenovo beats Google to the punch with the first 4K Chromebook
• Google Pixelbook review

Bitplay’s unique mount brings new lenses, filters to Android and iPhone

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Bitplay’s popular lenses can now work with Android phones — and most any smartphone, for that matter. Bitplay recently launched the new universal lens clip, AllClip, alongside a new macro lens and two new M52 lens filters. The change brings Bitplay lenses and filters to a wider range of compatible devices while introducing a unique lens clip design that doesn’t block some of the smartphone screen.

Rather than slip over the top of the device, the AllClip is a pressurized grip that adjusts to cradle the back of the smartphone. The design, the company says, doesn’t cover any portion of the screen while fitting the lens to the rear camera. The lens portion of the mount sits on a slider, which allows the lens to move in order to sit over the built-in camera, even as it accommodates different sizes and camera placement across different devices. The AllClip, Bitplay says, can accommodate standard-sized smartphones between 58mm and 80mm. The clip can also be stashed on a strap for easier carrying, and the holster doubles as a smartphone kickstand.

“AllClip is designed to provide a much better and more intuitive way to use high-quality lenses on almost any smartphone in the market,” said Jack Chang, Bitplay’s CEO. “Users can enjoy the top class optical enhancement with the ease of use.”

Along with accommodating Bitplay’s existing line of lenses, the new AllClip also launches with the Premium HD Macro lens. The 3x macro lens offers vivid, sharp images, Bitplay says. Wrapped in an aluminum housing, the lens also includes a detachable hood for fighting flare. 

Bitplay’s filter options also see expansion with the announcement, adding a Star and GND or graduated neutral density filter to the M52 series, which connects using the M52 adapter. Like the DSLR filter by the same name, the Star filter turns spots of light into stars. The GND darkens a portion of the image, often used for creating dramatic skies without overexposure. Like the other filters in the series, Bitplay says, the new filters are scratch-proof.

The AllClip sells for about $20. The filter adapter retails for about $14, the M52 Star filter goes for $23, and the M52 GND filter costs $68. The new macro lens launches with a $50 list price.

Editors’ Recommendations

• This odd accessory helps photographers shoot through glass with less glare
• Because lasers are cool, Nikon has new dot-sight accessory for Coolpix cameras
• With an updated clip design, Olloclip X lenses will work on (almost) any phone
• All about that bokeh: Meet the Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master with updated autofocus
• Moment is the first to outfit the Galaxy Note 9 with photography lenses

Superpowered MSI Trident X packs RGB lighting, Intel 9900K, and a GTX 1080 Ti

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We’re only a day on from Intel officially unveiling its 5GHz, eight-core, 16-thread Core i9-9900K CPU, and MSI is hot on its heels with an announcement of a system packing the powerful new chip. It’s pairing it up with the most powerful consumer graphics card ever released, the Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti, and the case it’s in is festooned with RGB LEDs for all of your custom lighting needs.

The last couple of months have seen some exciting hardware reveals in the desktop PC market, with both Intel and Nvidia debuting new-generations of hardware that they claim are the most powerful gaming chips the world has ever seen. In the case of Nvidia, its ray tracing-capable RTX series 2080 and 2080 Ti eclipsed the longstanding Pascal-generation of GTX 1080 and 1080 Ti cards after two long years of pricing problems, and in Intel’s, it finally fired back at AMD’s Ryzen chips with ones of its own that can boost themselves as high as 5Ghz at stock speeds.

Both of those pieces of flagship hardware are present in the top configuration of the new MSI Trident X, though there are options for more modest — but still exceedingly powerful — hardware like Intel’s Core i7-9700K CPU, and Nvidia’s RTX 2080 and 2070 graphics cards. Whichever options you pick though, the hardware is all packed inside a compact, 10-liter chassis with RGB lighting and the option of glass side panels to show off your fancy new hardware.

To make sure such a small form factor system stays cool with such powerful hardware, MSI has reportedly separated the GPU, CPU, and PSU into their own internal chambers, meaning they can be cooled individually without impacting each other’s thermals. The motherboard form-factor isn’t mentioned, but it will be based on the Z370 Intel chipset. Memory and storage options include up to 32GB of 2,666MHz DDR4 and options for both M.2 and 2.5-inch SSD and HDDs, so there’s space for terabytes of storage if needed.

Since this is an entirely air-cooled system and sports at most a 650w PSU, we wouldn’t expect this system to have tons of overclocking headroom, but it will certainly be a very capable system with enough future-proofing to last through many years of gaming. It’s slated to go on sale in November, as per Windows Central with a starting price of $2,300 — expect the price to rise significantly with top-tier components.

For a look at some of our favorite gaming PCs available right now, check out this list of the best of the best.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 vs. GTX 1080
• Nvidia GeForce RTX GPUs: Everything you need to know
• A.I. makes Nvidia’s RTX 2080 twice as powerful as the GTX 1080
• We tested Nvidia’s RTX 2080 and 2080 Ti. Are they a worthy upgrade?
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 vs. RTX 2080 Ti

The best Black Friday stores compared: Amazon, Walmart, and more

Black Friday is fast approaching, and savvy shoppers know what that means: it’s time to start planning.

These days, Black Friday doesn’t just involve a few hours of frantic shopping on Thanksgiving night. It’s a weeks-long event that encompasses pre-Black Friday deals, Black Friday itself, and Cyber Monday. For this reason, we’ve rounded up details about the best sales from today’s top retailers, with information about when to shop and what to look for at each. Whether you’re browsing in-store or online, we’ve got you covered.

Walmart

Walmart has always been a favorite for Black Friday shoppers, offering deals on products in almost every category and pre-Black Friday prices on select merchandise in early November. In 2017, their stores claimed to have “more availability than ever before,” so you can reasonably expect to find what you need in stock. On Cyber Monday, the retailer makes it easy to compare prices with their online comparison tool. The tool displays their price as well as the most current prices found on other sites, directing you to the best deal even if it isn’t from Walmart.

What to shop for

Walmart is definitely a leader in home entertainment where Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales are concerned. Top products last year included smart TVs from Samsung, Vizio, Element, and Sharp (like the Sharp 55-inch Class 4K on sale for $299), as well as soundbars and Blu-ray players. Keep an eye out for featured deals on laptops, tablets, smartphones, and gaming consoles and accessories.

Shipping and returns

Free two-day shipping for orders of $35 or more. Walmart accepts returns on items bought during Black Friday/Cyber Monday until January 10, 2019.

Timing

Doors open for the Black Friday weekend sale at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving night, though you can shop the entire day online.

Amazon

Being a purely online retailer, Amazon has a lot of flexibility when it comes to its Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals. In fact, once Black Friday begins, it’s important to keep checking Amazon for new products; they add deals to the site as often as every five minutes.

What to shop for

Because Amazon releases new deals continuously, it’s tough to pin down what you should look for. That said, this has historically been a great site to search for smart home technology (like smart plugs, lighting, and even robot vacuums), household appliances, tablets, and exclusive e-readers.

Shipping and returns

Free shipping for Prime members or for orders over $25. Items shipped by Amazon between November 1 and December 31 can be returned until January 31.

Timing

Black Friday is a multi-week event for Amazon. The Countdown to the Black Friday Sale starts on November 1, followed by the Black Friday Week Sale beginning on November 17. Amazon Prime members also receive early access to over 30,000 deals, including Black Friday and Cyber Monday specials.

Abt Electronics

Located in Glenview, Illinois, Abt Electronics is the largest single-store electronics and appliance dealer in the country. While this family-owned business is mostly visited by greater Chicago area residents, it has an incredible number of online deals during November that are worth looking into. It also offers a Low Price Guarantee, meaning shoppers can rest easy knowing they’re getting the best price on their favorite products.

What to shop for

If you’re upgrading your kitchen for the holidays or looking for high-tech gifts, Abt Electronics is the place to shop. In addition to deals on home entertainment and audio systems, the company offers savings on top brand appliances, from fridges and ovens to air purifiers and smart thermostats. Best sellers last year included LG OLED TVs and Sonos One Speakers on Black Friday and GoPros and Fitbits on Cyber Monday.

Shipping and returns

Free shipping on most orders of $35 or more across the continental United States.

Timing

The store is open on Black Friday at 8 a.m., and Cyber Monday week-long deals begin on November 26.

Jet

Jet is often compared to Amazon, though it promises to deliver cheaper products thanks to its real-time savings engine and club price savings. It’s an especially good place to shop for common household essentials such as clothing and health and beauty products. In addition to Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals, customers can expect to receive personalized discounts based on the items that are in their shopping cart. So even without splurging on a new home theater, you’re bound to find some savings.

What to shop for

Last year’s Black Friday Deals included smart home hubs, smart TVs from Samsung and Sharp, and gaming consoles. The company also offered huge savings on toys (like the coveted Tickle Me Elmo), luxury beauty products, and home goods, so it’s safe to say we’ll be seeing more of that this year.

Shipping and returns

Jet offers free shipping on orders over $35, and you have 30 days from delivery to make a return. However, if you opt out of free returns, you can save a few more bucks.

Timing

Jet is another online-only retailer, which means it’s always open! Black Friday pricing runs from November 19 through to December 1.

BestBuy

You can’t talk about Black Friday without talking about Best Buy. Last year’s Best Buy ad contained 50 pages of electronics deals, ranging from kitchen mixers, drones, and smartwatches to soundbars and TVs. This retailer doesn’t hold back. Some of its hottest Cyber Monday deals offered up to 40-percent savings on large appliances from brands like Whirlpool and KitchenAid.

What to shop for

Best Buy sees Black Friday as a great opportunity to shop for Christmas gifts, and its deals reflect this. Shoppers will find a huge range of gaming consoles and accessories, games from just $15, and select action figures and collectibles. You can even purchase Tidal subscriptions, Apple Store and iTunes gift cards, and more. 

Shipping and returns

Free shipping on all online orders. Best Buy offers a relatively short return period of just 15 days, though that increases to 30 days for My Best Buy Elite members and 45 days for Elite Plus members.

Timing

Like Walmart, Best Buy opens its door to Black Friday shoppers on Thanksgiving evening, but an hour earlier at 5 p.m.

Target

With a slogan like “Expect More, Pay Less,” it’s no wonder that Target is a champion of great savings during Black Friday. This is an excellent store to shop for Christmas gifts for the family as well as the latest home electronics. Last year, the retailer offered never-before-seen deals on products like the Westinghouse 55-inch UHD TV and the KitchenAid Ultra Power Plus Stand Mixer, so there’s no doubt we can expect big things from the firm once more in 2018.

What to shop for

Target is known for offering a little bit (or a lot) of everything, and this carries through to its Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals as well. In addition to the usual consumer electronics like TVs, cameras, and headphones, expect to see lots of products for families, including toys, car seats, and video games.

Shipping and returns

Free shipping on orders over $35. Target offers a 90-day return period, though Target-branded products come with a one-year return policy.

Timing

Target opens its doors on Thanksgiving evening at 6 p.m. and Black Friday at 6 a.m. Shoppers should also expect online-only deals in the days leading up to Thanksgiving.

Looking for more info on Black Friday and Cyber Monday? Our curated deals page has everything you need, or follow us on Twitter for daily deal updates.

We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and choose what we cover carefully and independently. If you find a better price for a product listed here, or want to suggest one of your own, email us at dealsteam@digitaltrends.com.Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Black Friday 2018: When it happens and where to find the best deals
• Amazon Prime Day 2018: Here’s everything you need to know
• The best Labor Day sales of 2018: Amazon, Walmart, Dell, and more
• Start your fitness journey with the best Fitbit deals available now
• ‘Red Dead Redemption 2’: Everything you need to know

Live updates: Google’s October 9 event as it happens

Speculation that Google is gearing up to release new tech has been rife for the last couple of months, and rumors have grown to a fever pitch in the last week. While no-one knows exactly what Google’s planning (and it’s been teasing us a little too), we fully expect to see a variety of new hardware unveiled, including two new models of the Pixel phone, two new Pixelbook laptops, as well as some other goodies. Check out what we expect to see at Google’s October 9 event for the full breakdown.

Google’s October 9 event kicks off today, in new York City at 11 a.m. ET, and you can watch it live, as well as follow our folks on the ground, Julian Chokkattu and Luke Larsen, or Digital Trends en Español‘s Juan Garcia, and Juliana Jara.

But what if you’re too busy to keep an eye on a livestream, or it’s simply not feasible for you to do so? Don’t worry, we’ve been thinking of you, and you can tune in here for live text updates as the main event goes on.

It all kicks off at 11 a.m. ET (8 a.m. PT/4 p.m. BST), so we’ll see you there for all the thrilling reveals and terrible jokes.

Introduction

• Help is the central theme of today’s conference
• Google’s 20th anniversary this year
• Google is now translating 143 billion words a day

Editors’ Recommendations

• How to watch the October 9 ‘Made by Google’ event
• What to expect from Google’s October 9 event in New York City
• How to watch Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked August 2018 event
• How to watch Intel’s Fall desktop event live from NYC
• Samsung drops lots of hints about upcoming Note 9 in trio of teaser videos

Amazon Echo Plus (2nd gen) vs. Google Home: Which should you buy?

We’re a virtual company made up of tech experts from across the globe. We live and breathe smart home technology, so if you’re just stepping into this exciting new tech space we’re here to help set you in the right direction.

Amazon Echo Plus (2nd gen)

Got it all

$149.99 at Amazon

Pros

• Half the size of the previous generation
• Fresh design with a fabric finish
• Built-in Zigbee hub
• Bluetooth and line-out for speakers

Cons

• Costs as much as three Echo Dots
• Lacks Google Assistant’s expansive knowledge base

The new Echo Plus is shorter and more compact while still packing in the all-important Zigbee hub that makes it the best starting point for converting your house into a smart home.

Google Home

Google’s first

$129 at Best Buy

Pros

• Works with Chromecast-enabled devices
• Syncs well with Google Assistant on your phone
• A very Google-y design

Cons

• No support for connecting external speakers
• Likely need to invest in a smart home hub

In the same way that the first Echo Plus offered more functionality and features than the Google Home, the Echo Plus (2nd gen) has doubled-down by offering the same great features in a more compact and visually appealing package. With the Echo Plus, you can start connecting Zigbee-compatible bulbs, switches, outlets, and other smart home products right out of the box without needing to invest in a dedicated smart home hub.

The answer is clear for first-time buyers in 2018

You’re interested in upgrading your home with a ton of cool connected tech, but you’ve waited a few years just to let all the early bugs get ironed out. Now, it’s 2018 and you’re ready to start upgrading your house to smart home status.

If this describes you, your patience has rewarded you with the second generation Echo Plus.

For anyone who’s already invested in Google products, whether we’re talking Android or Chromecast devices, the appeal of the Google Home is that it’s another Google product that, unsurprisingly, works really well with other Google products. The choice between Google Assistant and Alexa largely comes down to personal preference and brand loyalty, but in terms of pure functionality and style, the second generation Echo Plus straight up outclasses Google’s first smart speaker in almost every aspect.

Pressure is really on Google to deliver an outstanding and affordable follow up to Alexa’s smart home offerings because Amazon has been going full tilt on the hardware side of things. There are so many first-party Alexa-enabled products coming out in the next month coming later this year that makes Amazon’s smart home ecosystem very inviting.

Both Amazon and Google offer great support for an ever-growing list of connected smart home device to control your lights, lock your doors, and control appliances around your home, but the Echo Plus gets the advantage for including a Zigbee hub built right in. That means you can forgo buying an extra hub device to start building out your smart home and can spend your money on bulbs, switches, and whatever else.

Amazon Echo Plus (2nd gen)

Best gets better

$149.99 at Amazon

The best option for smart speaker newcomers

The Amazon Echo Plus is the easiest recommendation to make for someone just starting to invest in a connected home. Sure, you spend a bit more but as long as you’re intrigued by Amazon’s other product offerings, Alexa will be your best artificially-intelligent friend in no time. Be sure to select the option that includes a free Philips Hue smart bulb!

Google Home

First generation

Google Home is only for Google fanatics

$129 at Best Buy

The Google Home speaker almost feels like a prototype compared to its competition at this point. It’s still a functional smart home accessory but simply lacks some hardware features found in Amazon’s premiere smart speaker. Best Buy appears to be bundling in a Google Home Mini with each Google Home — a good deal for sure — but even two first-gen Google devices can’t top an Echo Plus, so you’re probably best off waiting for Google Home 2.0.

What mobile ecosystem are you a part of?

All your devices make up a bigger picture.

There are a lot of deciding factors that come into play when choosing which gadgets to use, and for a lot of people, the ecosystem certain devices belong to makes a big difference when it comes time to buy a new toy.

Samsung’s Galaxy phones work seamlessly with Galaxy and Gear wearables, the Google Pixel 2 can tether instantly to the Pixelbook, and over in Camp Apple, the iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and more all sync up with one another in a truly magical way.

These added benefits you get by using various products from the same company can be really fantastic, and looking through the AC forums, there’s a lot of variety when it comes to the ecosystems our forum members are invested in.

monicakm
10-08-2018 03:14 PM

“

I started out by just following the lead of my daughter and son-in-law. I liked what I saw in their Android phones. At the time, I knew very little about Apple. As the years went on and the more I studied both ecosystems (before they were called ecosystems LOL) I became more educated on Apple as a business and their products. Their phones seemed to never change/grow…literally. And it was…

Reply

jmorris1974
10-08-2018 04:41 PM

“

I started off my journey with the Droid X. that phone died on me and I was forced into a Samsung Fascinate. Android at that time was fairly buggy and not that reliable from my experience. When the iPhone 5S came out, I decided to jump to iOS. I stayed there for three years, and then moved back to Android with the LG v20. The LG was so buggy that I almost went back to iOS. I would have to, had I…

Reply

Laura Knotek
10-08-2018 07:26 PM

“

I got started with Symbian on the Nokia E61, had another Symbian device (Nokia E71), and then switched to BlackBerry (9000 and then 9700). Next, I went to Windows Phone (Nokia Lumia 900 and 920). When it was evident that Windows Phone was on its way out (apps being pulled and Microsoft giving up support), I needed a new platform.

I have family and friends who use iPhones and Android devices….

Reply

gendo667
10-08-2018 07:36 PM

“

I don’t know that I chose Android necessarily. More like it just stuck. I had the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 4. Not only were they my first smartphones, they were my first phones, period. I never wanted a flip phone. I never wanted a little brick phone. But as phones turned into computers, that piqued my interest. While owning those two phones I was totally become a phone nerd. Reading info, taking…

Reply

What about you? What mobile tech ecosystem are you in?

Join the conversation in the forums!

NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 builds on classic arcade-style basketball

Slam. Jam. Thank You Ma’am.

If you’re tired of the accurate simulation that NBA 2K19 provides and you favor something that will allow you to suspend your disbelief, you might want to pay attention to NBA 2K Playgrounds 2. Fly high and slam your eyes down below — here’s everything you need to know.

What is NBA 2K Playgrounds 2?

A little-known company named Saber Interactive sought to bring back the over-the-top arcade-style basketball genre. Their vehicle for doing so was a game called NBA Playgrounds.

Playgrounds offered that fast-paced action popularized by games like NBA Jam and NBA Street, though the game launched to mixed reception. Namely, its lack of big-name legends and a lack of depth in the gameplay department made the title forgettable.

But it caught the attention of 2K Sports, with the longstanding veteran of the basketball genre reaching a publishing deal to produce the next game in the series. That game is the newly-titled NBA 2K Playgrounds 2.

This is an area 2K has yet to dive into, with the company preferring simulation-style development more than anything. Its partnership with Saber Interactive shows 2K has real interest in this area and thinks there could be potential for this thing to become a hit.

As is usually the case with 2K, is contributions to the cause are said to have been quite immediate, with help in both development and licensing being the two biggest examples of that. Let’s start with what the game will offer at its core.

Ridiculous basketball fun

Sticking with the spirit and theme of the original game, NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is doing everything it can to bring that ridiculous form of basketball where everyone can defy the laws of physics, gravity, and everything else that should make sense.

You’ll often find yourself flipping and flying higher than the courts, and maybe even higher than the Ferris wheel in the background of the peer you’re playing on. Look for 2K to tighten up the gameplay and button things up with new moves, animations, and abilities.

That comes with new modes, including four-player online matches, three-point shootout contests, and 10 new playgrounds to play at. You’ll be able to hop all over the globe with courts in California, Seoul, and Australia. There are also seasonal and championship play modes for those who want to compete in leagues for glory.

Alongside general gameplay improvements, 2K is shoring things up on the infrastructure side of things. Matchmaking will be better and games will be smoother thanks to the usage of dedicated servers. You’ll also be able to set up custom matches for you and your friends to enjoy.

A much better roster

This is another area where 2K is bringing its power to the franchise. The original NBA Playgrounds had a good mix of both past and present stars to play with, but NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is bringing the number of playable stars up to over 400.

What’s more, that roster consists of some much bigger names in the legend department. Names like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant were missing before, but 2K used its connections to seal the deal.

Saber says it never would have gotten some of these names without 2K. It figures to be an important deal, as playable stars like those are crucial to attracting interest in these sports games.

As far as all the other stars are concerned, 2K’s extensive work in replicating player likenesses and styles will find their way into Playgrounds 2. We get the sense that we won’t see the entirety of the roster get complete overhauls right away, but be sure 2K is planting a firm flag in the ground for some of the bigger names of the NBA.

When can you play it?

NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is out October 16th, 2018 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch. You can pre-order the game today to guarantee it by launch.

$30 at Amazon

PlayStation 4

• PS4 vs. PS4 Slim vs. PS4 Pro: Which should you buy?
• PlayStation VR Review
• Playing PS4 games through your phone is awesome

Amazon

What is the biggest external hard drive PlayStation 4 supports?

Best answer: The biggest external hard drive that the PS4 supports can be up to 8TB, which is the console’s maximum external storage capacity. Seagate has the perfect HDD for the job.

Amazon: Seagate Expansion 8TB Desktop External Hard ($140)

Why do I even need more storage?

Games are bigger than they’ve ever been, whether in terms of the sheer size of their worlds or the amount of content packed into them. This holds doubly true for the amount of space they take up on your hard drive.

At the beginning of the generation, Sony and Microsoft quickly found out that 500GB just wasn’t enough to include on their systems’ internal storage. Fast forward to today, and your standard PlayStation 4 console holds up to 1TB of storage, minus a small percentage that’s dedicated to running the console itself. You’d be surprised at how quickly the internal HDD fills up. If you do so without breaking a sweat, it’s time to upgrade to an external HDD.

Why should I purchase an 8TB HDD when others are smaller?

According to PlayStation Support, “You can use only one device for extended storage at a time. Even if you have connected two devices that are formatted for use as extended storage, only one can be active as extended storage.”

What this means is that while the PS4 unfortunately does not support the use of multiple external hard drives simultaneously, you can use more than one external hard drive and flip between them if 8TB isn’t enough.

Since it’s not ideal to swap between multiple hard drives unless you need to, it’s best to pick up the largest possible. You are already going to be spending close to $100 if you shell out for a 4TB external HDD. For a little more you can pick up an 8TB so you won’t need to worry about losing money on several purchases.

Our pick

Seagate Expansion 8TB Desktop External Hard

$140 at Amazon

Most bang for your buck

Seagate is a reliable brand frequently used for gaming, and its 8TB HDD is perfect to get the job done fast for the best price possible. Just plug it in, format it to your PS4, and you’re ready to play.