> what's ur typical environment like?

So basically the consensus is Victus 2 is tough but flaring is real. Honestly, what's your budget for a new lens if it does scratch?? I'd just grab a case with a raised lip instead of extra glass, tbh.

> I'd just grab a case with a raised lip instead of extra glass, tbh.

I totally agree, a raised lip is basically a must for safety! But before I give advice, can you clarify what kind of slim case you're using? Some "slim" ones barely have any edge at all, which makes me sooo nervous about that big camera bar hitting the ground first. I wanna help, but idk if your current setup is actually safe enough lol.

Honestly, I’ve been thinking about this too because I plan on keeping my gear for at least 3 or four years. From a long-term perspective, the "naked" camera bar always ends up with those tiny micro-abrasions that you only see in direct sunlight, right? It’s realllly annoying once you notice them, even if they don't affect the photos immediately. If you’re cautious like me, here are a few things to check out:
* Watch some teardown videos on YouTube for the newer Pixels to see how the visor is actually attached. It’s eye-opening.
* Look into the official protection plans—sometimes that's better than a $10 piece of glass.
* Check out any skins from dbrand; you basically can't go wrong there. I’d just go with a skin from dbrand or a similar brand to cover the metal parts of the bar. It protects against those annoying surface scratches without putting anything over the actual lenses to mess with your shots. It’s a solid middle ground tho, you know?

Like someone mentioned, the glass is supposedly tougher, but honestly its ridiculous that we even have to stress over this after dropping so much cash. In my experience over the years, the price of these flagships has gone through the roof while they just get more fragile and harder to actually use without a literal suit of armor. It drives me crazy how the camera bar is such a massive target now. Its such a scam that we pay for premium materials only to have to cover them up with extra glass just so they dont shatter on a table. I was actually thinking about my old gear the other day and how much simpler things were before everything became a glass sandwich. You could actually enjoy the design without a panic attack. Now, every time I set my phone down, I'm checking for micro-scratches. It's exhausting. Anyway, just a bit of a rant because the industry feels like its headed in a weird direction... but yeah.

In my experience, you definitely don't need a glass protector. Basically, adding extra glass over the Google Pixel 9 lenses is a recipe for internal reflections and weird flaring in low light. The Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on that visor is actually incredibly tough against scratches. I've used the Google Pixel 8 Pro 128GB for a year without one and it's still pristine. Just get a case with a decent lip like the Spigen Liquid Air for Pixel 9 and you're good!!

Before I give advice, what's ur typical environment like? Are we talking office desks or construction sites? Victus 2—which was mentioned—is tough, but micro-abrasions from sand are the real lens killers. Thoughts?

Honestly, as someone who tends to take the DIY repair route whenever possible, I look at that camera bar a bit differently. Before deciding on a protector, you have to consider how much you value the factory-applied anti-reflective (AR) coatings. Adding any secondary adhesive layer often messes with the refractive index and can lead to ghosting, regardless of how "premium" the protector is. Its basically a trade-off between optical integrity and impact resistance. Instead of just sticking more glass on it, have you looked into whether youre comfortable performing a component-level repair if the worst happens? Specifically, are you okay with the idea of using a heat gun and precision tools to replace the visor glass yourself if it actually cracks, or are you strictly looking for preventative measures because you prefer professional service? Also, what's your take on using a vinyl skin just for the metal parts of the bar to prevent scuffs, or are you strictly worried about the lens glass itself?