Edition

Xfce

The light one. Fewest cycles, fewest surprises.

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One thin panel. Nothing else running.

What it is

Xfce is the most conservative desktop Mint ships and the one that changes least from release to release. Xfwm4 handles windows. Fewer effects, fewer applets, less to go wrong.

On an old or low-memory machine this is often the difference between a computer that's usable and one that isn't. On a fast machine it's simply quiet.

Choose it if

  • the hardware is old or short on RAM
  • the machine has one job and must always do it
  • you like stability that borders on boring
  • you're reviving a laptop that Windows gave up on

Look elsewhere if

  • you want polish and effects out of the box — take Cinnamon
  • you want deep panel customisation — take MATE
  • you want the newest desktop technology first

The same in every edition

Same Ubuntu 24.04 LTS base. Same Update Manager, Timeshift, Driver Manager and Software Manager. Same repositories, same apt, same installer, same security updates until April 2029. The desktop is the only thing that changes — and you can install another one later without reinstalling the system.