What is better ubuntu or linux

8 Reasons Why Linux Mint is Better Than Ubuntu for Linux Beginners

Last updated January 29, 2021 By Abhishek Prakash 500 Comments

Which one is better, Linux Mint or Ubuntu?

This question has been there ever since Linux Mint came in the picture, and this article does not answer to this question. Well, not entirely.

So, what is this about then?

I have been an Ubuntu user for a long time. I stray to other Linux distributions but I keep coming back to Ubuntu, sooner or later. I occasionally try my hands on Linux Mint also, mostly for the purpose of writing articles about it. I must say using Linux Mint is quite a pleasant experience.

As a die-hard Ubuntu fan, I come back from Mint to Ubuntu eventually but not before noticing that Linux Mint is better than Ubuntu for a beginner.

It’s because there are a few things that Linux Mint handles better than Ubuntu, by default. And this ‘by default’ matters when we are talking about a Linux beginner. Because an experienced Linux user will find his/her way. It’s the beginners who struggle with even a seemingly obvious thing.

Considering that I have used both of these popular Linux distributions, I am confident that I can make a fair comparison of Linux Mint and Ubuntu.

The comparison which I am doing here is from the point of view of a beginner Linux desktop user who probably has just switched from Windows or thinking to switch to Linux. But it should still be a good read for an experienced user.

8 things that make Linux Mint better than Ubuntu for beginners

Ubuntu and Linux Mint are unarguably the most popular desktop Linux distributions. While Ubuntu is based on Debian, Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu. Question is why to use an Ubuntu derivative or a Debian derivative instead of using the source itself. The answer to the question is that the derivative is better.

Hardcore Debian users would disagree but Ubuntu makes Debian better (or should I say easier?). Similarly, Linux Mint makes Ubuntu better.

How come? I am going to list five things that Linux Mint does better than Ubuntu.

Note that the comparison is mainly between Ubuntu GNOME vs Linux Mint’s Cinnamon desktop. A few parameters might not be applicable to other versions with different desktop environments. If you didn’t know, you can read this article to understand what is a desktop environment.

1. Low memory usage in Cinnamon than GNOME

Linux Mint technically tries to get rid of what they think is unnecessary in Ubuntu while aiming to make the experience faster. Of course, that includes using the Cinnamon desktop instead of GNOME as well.

Even though the difference isn’t huge, Linux Mint tends to get an edge with a lower memory consumption over Ubuntu. It is worth noting that the memory consumption depends on what applications you’re running and if they’re resource-friendly. But, out of the box, without any modifications, Linux Mint seems to be light on resources. This makes it an ideal choice for computers with older configuration.

Of course, if you have a core i7 with 16 GB of RAM, this won’t matter. But if you have a core i3 processor with 4GB of RAM (or lower), Cinnamon desktop gets the win technically.

Of course, you can install Cinnamon on Ubuntu but we are discussing the default desktop environments here.

2. Software Manager: faster, sleeker, lighter

Ubuntu Software Center takes ages to load, heavily eats up resources, and is slow while interacting with it. Of course, things have improved over the years but even with Ubuntu 20.04, on board, you will often notice it loading up slow or freezing when updating/installing an app.

On the other hand, Linux Mint’s Software Manager is lighter and quicker. Personally, I haven’t noticed it slow down, it is always snappy whenever you need it.

3. Software Sources with more features

As of now, you get all the essential options to manage repositories, revert the settings, and a couple other things to tweak the software sources as per your requirement.

With Ubuntu, you get the necessary features but Linux Mint goes a step beyond and offers additional benefits like the ability remove foreign packages, add missing keys, remove duplicate entries, and a couple other options which you don’t get with Ubuntu (considering Ubuntu 20.04).

The automatic options to troubleshoot (as shown in the screenshot below) is very useful for beginners, which you will not find in Ubuntu 20.04.

4. Themes, Applets and Desklets

I am not saying it’s rocket science to install themes in Ubuntu. But Linux Mint does it better than Ubuntu.

First, you don’t need to install a new tool (like GNOME Tweak) just to change themes in Mint. It already lets you tweak it from the System Settings. On top of that, you can have several themes from the community at your disposal in Themes System Settings under ‘Get more online’ option.

Ubuntu, on the other hand, does not have this ease in installing the themes. You’ll have to look at places to download the zipped themes file and then install it.

Similarly, Linux Mint also has a separate entry in Settings for applets and desklets. You can also access an online collection of indicator applets and desklets (Windows like desktop widgets in Linux). You won’t find this ability in Ubuntu.

So, for users who want out of the box customizability and the support for applets/desklets with the ease of managing them, Linux Mint will be a perfect choice.

5. Codecs, Flash and plenty of applications by default

It’s not that you cannot install media codecs in Ubuntu. Ubuntu too gives the option to install codecs while installing OS itself. But if you don’t do at installation, you will find yourself struggling.

Ubuntu has a package named Ubuntu Restricted Extras that consists of most commonly used media codecs, including Adobe Flash.

While this package can easily be installed using a simple command, you won’t find it listed in the Ubuntu Software Center. Instead, you will have to browse/scroll down and choose to install GStreamer if you want.

Linux Mint doesn’t come with codecs installed (you do get the option to include it while installing it). But if you search for codecs using the Software Manager, at least it provides you the correct options right away.

You can either choose to install the Ubuntu-restricted-extras package to get the commonly used codecs or something else from the list.

6. More Desktop Choices with Longterm Support

Both Ubuntu and Linux Mint (based on Ubuntu, of course) support 5 years of system updates. However, with Ubuntu, you only get 5 year system updates for GNOME edition by Canonical.

If you want to try Kubuntu, Lubuntu or any other official flavors of Ubuntu, you will end up with only 3 year of system updates.

But, with Linux Mint, no matter whether you use Cinnamon desktop edition, MATE, or XFCE, you get 5 year system updates. I think that gives Linux Mint a slight edge over Ubuntu with different desktop choices without comprising on the software updates.

7. Linux Mint Disables Snap Store by Default

Of course, I don’t have anything against the Snap store in general. It is useful for some users with a variety of applications available while having the ability to get the latest updates. And, with Ubuntu, you get to make use of it by default.

On the other hand, it isn’t open-source and some recent decisions by Canonical to replace parts of APT with Snap without users consent have drifted away a lot of users.

So, if you are someone who does not prefer Snap store, Linux Mint will be a good option for you which blocks Snaps to be installed by APT. However, you may choose to follow one of our tutorials to enable snap support in Linux Mint 20, in case you want it.

8. Pre-installed Linux Mint Apps Are Awesome!

The Linux Mint team does some awesome work on some of their own tools that come pre-installed.

For instance, the update manager on Linux Mint and the Timeshift application to back up/restore easily.

With the update manager, you get to select what you need to update, check history on the update, and get some detailed information for each package update. The Software Updater in Ubuntu is good enough, but I tend to like the Linux Mint’s manager that works snappy all the time.

Not just limited to that, you can head right into Timeshift through the update manager giving you quick access to back up/restore.

Overall, it is a robust update manager. And, if you pair it up with pre-installed Timeshift application to create system backups, you will always be a click away from restoring your system.

Ubuntu 20 Software Updater

With Ubuntu, you can install Timeshift application to back up/restore but that does not come baked in.

What do you say? Mint or Ubuntu?

Keep in mind that it is not a hate post against Ubuntu. I am a great fan of Ubuntu. Personally, I have never liked Cinnamon interface. It’s just too dull for me. I prefer the user experience on Ubuntu.

However, everyone has their set of choices, and I just thought of giving you some reasons if you were thinking about Linux Mint as the desktop operating system for your computer.

It’s just that Linux Mint seems to be a better option than Ubuntu for an absolute beginner to Linux. Considering that Cinnamon has an interface like Windows, it may also be a factor when choosing between Ubuntu and Linux Mint. Of course, you can also check out some windows-like distributions in that case.

For users who have some experience with Linux desktop, it’s more of a personal liking between Ubuntu and Linux Mint. But if you ever wonder why Linux Mint over Ubuntu, these reasons may help you to decide.

What do you think? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

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Linux vs Ubuntu

By Priya Pedamkar

Differences Between Linux vs Ubuntu

Linux is an open-source and free software operating system built around the Linux kernel and was first released by Linux Torvalds on September 17, 1991. A family of an operating system uses the name ‘Linux’ to emphasize that many Linux distributions share Linux kernel.

Ubuntu is an open-source and freely available operating system, one of the Linux distributions. There are several flavors of Ubuntu in markets like Ubuntu desktop for personal computing, Ubuntu Server for servers and Ubuntu core for a network of physical devices popularly known as the Internet of things (IoT).

Web development, programming languages, Software testing & others

Linux usage is very high among servers; the majority of the web servers across the world run on Linux based operating system. Even though Windows and MAC like operating system are more popular than Linux for personal computing, but still Linux is steadily gaining popularity among the masses.

Ubuntu is based on the Linux kernel, and it is one of the Linux distributions, a project started by South African Mark Shuttle worth. Ubuntu is the most used type of Linux based operating system in desktop installations. Ubuntu provides a friendly operating system and stable enough, which is targeted toward the average computer user. It is easy to install, and simplicity is one of its key features.

Linux kernel is the core of the operating system, which is equivalent to an engine. Linux operating system is based on this kernel which Linus Torvalds crafted.

With its default installation, Ubuntu has a variety of software available like Firefox and several light games like chess and Sudoku.

Linux distributions include Fedora, Debian and so on. The most popular of all, when it comes to desktop installation, is Ubuntu. Linux gains some height during the 1990s because of developers who were basically a hobbyist. Although not user-friendly like windows and MAC, but it rarely crashes and reliable.

Ubuntu, like all Linux based operating system, has very few virus problems and, most of the time can be run without anti-virus software. Ubuntu requires specific privileges to install files, thus making it difficult for a virus to be loaded. This is the basic advantage provided by Ubuntu. Some of the versions of Linux, like Ubuntu, deactivate the file from the internet, which again helps block infections. Since an operating system like Ubuntu is an up-and-comer, writers with vile intentions are not yet spending enough time to target Ubuntu users.

Linux is open-source; thus, a majority of users can modify it, thus marking its range from phones to computers. User-friendly desktop environments, web browsers, and games helped increase Linux’s popularity and make it more suitable, comfortable for home desktops. Another attractive feature of Linux is flexibility. If I don’t like how something behaves, I can change it by replacing the piece of software that is compatible with my needs.

Head to Head Comparison Between Linux and Ubuntu (Infographics)

Below are the top 8 comparisons between Linux and Ubuntu:

Key Differences Between Linux and Ubuntu

Below is the list of points that explain the key difference between Linux and Ubuntu:

1. Linux is a generic term which is a kernel and has several distributions, whereas Ubuntu is one of the Linux kernel-based distribution.
2. Linux started its journey in 1991, whereas Ubuntu took off in 2004.
3. Linux was initially predominant among servers, making it hardly user-friendly among home and office users, whereas with the advent of Ubuntu, which was available on desktop computers, now becoming more receptive and friendly with home and office users.
4. Several Linux distributions are available like Fedora, Suse, Debian and so on, whereas Ubuntu is one such desktop-based distribution based on Linux kernel.
5. Linux is based on the Linux kernel, whereas Ubuntu is based on the Linux system and is one project or distribution.
6. Linux is secure, and most of the Linux distributions do not need anti-virus to install, whereas Ubuntu, a desktop-based operating system, is super-secure among Linux distributions.
7. Some of the Linux distributions are not desktop-based and dominant among servers, whereas Ubuntu is one of the desktop-based, is more user-friendly as compared to other Linux distribution.
8. Linux commands follow the rules and procedure that the majority of the Linux based operating system follows, whereas Ubuntu does the same but has its own style and list of features.
9. Navigation among Linux distribution can be quite a challenge for home and office users, whereas Ubuntu is easy and intuitive for the end-user.
10. Installing a free server-based Linux distribution can be intimidating for an end-user, whereas Ubuntu is being carried out with easier follow-up guidelines than server-based distributions.
11. Linux based operating system like Debian is not recommended for beginners, whereas Ubuntu is better for beginners.

Linux and Ubuntu Comparison Table

Following is the comparison table Between 8 Linux and Ubuntu.

BASIS FOR COMPARISON	Linux	Ubuntu
Distribution	Have several distributions based on Linux kernel	One of the distribution based on the Linux kernel
Ease of Use	Command-line is challenging for a home user	Desktop-based Linux distribution, more user-friendly
Variation	Server, embedded based varieties are available	Sever, core, desktop-based varieties are available.
Robust	Unix like architecture which provides more robustness	One of the fault-tolerant hardly crashes when any component misbehaves, make it robust
Security	Outshine every other competitor when it comes to security	One of the most secure operating system
Flexibility	Components are easily replaceable	Being based on the Linux kernel makes it more flexible
Reliability	Highly reliable make it more sale-worthy among business	It won’t bog down after months of usage, making it highly reliable
Forum Support	Linux forum support is receptive	Forum support still needs to be improved as compared to other Linux distributions.

Conclusion

Linux kernel is the heart of Ubuntu. It has Linux like architecture to interact with the computer’s hardware. Ubuntu commands also follow the same standard which standard Linux distribution follows, but at the same time, Ubuntu has its own set of standard and list of features.

Ubuntu is a graphical user interface (GUI) based operating system, making it the strongest competitor with the Windows and Mac operating system. On the top of the GUI, a security feature of Ubuntu is at par with other Linux distribution like Fedora, Debian etc. The reason for increasing awareness about Linux based operating system is mainly due to Ubuntu.

Linux has already been there for some time when Ubuntu was declared in 2004. Other Linux based distributions were pre-dominantly server-based and were not as user-friendly as Ubuntu, although sharing the same kernel. It was the first release of Ubuntu, making Linux reach far and wide among home and office users. Linux system can be installed in various computer hardware, smartphone, laptops and so on. Its usage is prevalent in servers. Although it may not match MAC and Windows’s popularity in the desktop market, it’s still gaining popularity in this region, thanks to Ubuntu like Linux distribution.

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This has been a useful guide to the Difference Between Linux vs Ubuntu. Here we have discussed Linux vs Ubuntu head to head comparison, key difference, and infographics and comparison table. You may also look at the following article to learn more –

Linux Training Program (16 Courses, 3+ Projects)

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