While some do have severe pain during recovery, some do not. I did not. Find a great surgeon who does a minimally invasive method (Superpath or STAR or at least Anterior)

AND

Get a quality ice machine (one that does both cooling and periodic compression) and use it religiously the first few weeks. Get something like the NICE machine or the Game Ready machine. A good one is very expensive so rental is a good approach.

I had a two week rental of the NICE machine for my left hip replacement five years ago and it worked great. Finding a great surgeon and using a quality ice machine the first couple of weeks will provide you the best opportunity for a good and relatively minimal pain recovery.