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This article shows you which Linux Mint you would choose from Cinnamon, MATE and Xfce. The content is concise and easy to understand. It will definitely make your eyes shine. I hope you can learn something from the detailed introduction of this article.

Linux Mint is undoubtedly one of the best Linux distributions for beginners. This is especially true for Windows users who are new to the Linux world.

Since 2006 (the year Linux Mint was first released), they have developed a number of tools to enhance the user experience. Also, Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu, so you have a huge community of users to turn to for help.

I'm not going to talk about how good Linux Mint is. If you've made up your mind to install Linux Mint, you might be a little confused by the downloads section on its website.

It gives you three choices: Cinnamon, MATE and Xfce. Don't know how to choose? I will help you solve this problem in this article.

If you're a complete novice to Linux and don't know anything about the above, I suggest you learn what a Linux desktop environment is. If you can take a little more time, read this excellent explanation of what Linux is and why there are so many Linux operating systems that look similar.

With this information, you can understand the differences between the various Linux Mint versions. If you don't know which one to choose, through this article I'll help you make a conscious choice.

Which Linux Mint version should you choose?

In short, the options are as follows:

Cinnamon Desktop: Traditional desktop with a modern feel.

MATE Desktop: A traditional-looking desktop similar to the GNOME 2 era.

Xfce Desktop: A popular lightweight desktop environment.

Let's look at the various variants of Mint one by one.

Linux Mint Cinnamon

Cinnamon Desktop was developed by the Linux Mint team and is clearly the workhorse version of Linux Mint.

Almost a decade ago, when the GNOME desktop opted for the unconventional GNOME 3 user interface, development of Cinnamon began, maintaining the traditional look of the desktop by replicating some of the GNOME 2 components.

Many Linux users like Cinnamon because it has an interface like Windows 7.

Linux Mint Cinnamon desktop

Performance and corresponding capabilities

Cinnamon desktop performance has improved over past versions, but without an SSD you'll feel a bit sluggish. The last time I used Cinnamon Desktop was version 4.4.8, and the memory consumption after booting was around 750MB. The current version 4.8.6 has been greatly improved, reducing memory consumption by 100MB after booting.

For the best user experience, consider a dual-core CPU with a minimum of 4GB of RAM.

Linux Mint 20 Cinnamon idle system stats

advantages

Seamless transition from Windows

pleasing

highly customizable

disadvantage

If your system only has 2 GB of RAM, it may not be ideal.

Additional advice: If you prefer Debian to Ubuntu, you can opt for Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE). The main difference between LMDE and Debian with Cinnamon desktop is that LMDE provides the latest desktop environment to its repository.

Linux Mint Mate Edition

The MATE desktop environment has a similar story, and its purpose is to maintain and support the GNOME 2 codebase and applications. It looks and feels very similar to GNOME 2.

In my opinion, by far the best implementation of MATE desktop is Ubuntu MATE. In Linux Mint, you get a customized version of the MATE desktop that conforms to Cinnamon aesthetics rather than the traditional GNOME 2 settings.

Screenshot of Linux Mint MATE desktop

performance and responsiveness

MATE desktops are known for being light and thin, no doubt about it. CPU usage is consistently low compared to Cinnamon desktops, in other words, better battery life on laptops.

It doesn't feel as agile as Xfce (in my opinion), but it doesn't affect the user experience. Memory consumption starts at under 500MB, which is impressive for a feature-rich desktop environment.

Linux Mint 20 MATE idle system stats

advantages

Lightweight desktop without compromising functionality

Sufficient customization possibilities

disadvantage

A traditional look may give you a feeling of being outdated

Linux Mint Xfce Edition

The Xfce project began in 1996 and was inspired by UNIX's Common Desktop Environment (CDE). Xfce stands for "XForms Common Environment," but since it no longer uses the XForms toolbox, the name is spelled "Xfce."

It aims to be fast, lightweight and easy to use. Xfce is the main desktop for many popular Linux distributions such as Manjaro and MX Linux.

Linux Mint offers a refined Xfce desktop, but even the dark theme can't compare to the beauty of Cinnamon desktops.

Linux Mint 20 Xfce desktop

performance and responsiveness

Xfce is the most streamlined desktop environment Linux Mint offers. By clicking on the Start menu, Settings Control Panel, or Explore the bottom panel, you'll find a simple yet flexible desktop environment.

Although I think minimalism is a positive attribute, Xfce is not an eye-pleasing product, leaving a more traditional flavor. But for some users, the classic desktop environment is their first choice.

On first boot, memory usage is similar to MATE desktop, but not as good. If your PC doesn't have an SSD, Xfce Desktop Environment can bring your system back to life.

Linux Mint 20 Xfce idle system stats

advantages

using simple

Very lightweight and fits older hardware

Rock-solid stability

disadvantage

Outdated appearance

There may not be as much customization compared to Cinnamon

Since all three desktop environments are based on the GTK toolkit, the choice is purely personal. They are both very resource-efficient and perform well for a modest system with 4GB of memory. Xfce and MATE can be lower, supporting systems as low as 2GB of memory.

Linux Mint isn't the only distribution that offers multiple options. Distributions such as Manjaro, Fedora and Ubuntu are also available in a variety of flavors.

If you still can't make up your mind, I suggest choosing the default Cinnamon version first and trying Linux Mint in a virtual machine. See if you like the look and feel of it. If you don't like it, you can test other variants in the same way.

Which Linux Mint would you choose between Cinnamon and MATE and Xfce? Have you learned any knowledge or skills? If you want to learn more skills or enrich your knowledge reserves, please pay attention to the industry information channel.

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