New phone, new apps? Xperia 1 VII

Just ordered the 1VII, upgrading from my 1II, which I’ve loved for 4 years. Really love the series and their focus on keeping bloatware to a minimum. The promise of years of support and bundles with the xm6's, made me choose the series again.

I’m currently stuck on Android 12 with Nova Launcher, all animations off, and dark mode. I like a simple setup but don’t fully trust Nova Launcher anymore. Privacy is important and I run YT through Firefox(unlock and gjostery) to avoid the commercials.

Looking for tips and tricks, prioritizing performance and battery life over a bright, high resolution vivid screen. Avoiding ads, privacy is important and I am accustomed to Firefox as my go to browser.

I'll mostly use the phone as a daily driver and at work making videos in Edits.

Thank you in advance.