MATE
ClassicTraditional desktop based on GNOME 2. Lighter than Cinnamon, very stable and straightforward.
- RAM: 1GB+ (2GB recommended)
- Feel: Classic, efficient
Linux Mint Cinnamon
The flagship edition with a modern, polished desktop
Parent Distro
Linux Mint
Desktop
Cinnamon
RAM Required
2GB+ (4GB recommended)
Best for
Windows switchers, daily use
What is Linux Mint Cinnamon?
Linux Mint Cinnamon is the flagship edition of Linux Mint, featuring the Cinnamon desktop environment developed by the Mint team themselves. It offers a modern, full-featured desktop with visual effects, animations, and an intuitive layout that feels immediately familiar to Windows users.
Cinnamon provides the most complete and polished experience of all Mint editions. It includes a traditional taskbar (panel) at the bottom, a start menu, system tray, and window management that works exactly as you'd expect. The desktop is highly customizable with themes, applets, desklets, and extensions.
This edition is recommended for most users, especially those with modern hardware. It strikes an excellent balance between visual appeal, functionality, and resource usage—though it's slightly heavier than the MATE or Xfce editions.
Cinnamon features
Familiar layout
Traditional desktop with panel, start menu, and system tray. No learning curve for Windows users.
Desktop effects
Smooth animations, window effects, and transitions. Can be disabled for better performance on older hardware.
Deep customization
Themes, applets, desklets, and extensions. Change virtually every aspect of your desktop appearance.
Window tiling
Built-in window snapping and tiling. Drag windows to screen edges or use keyboard shortcuts.
Notification center
Clean notification system that doesn't interrupt your workflow. Review missed notifications anytime.
Nemo file manager
Powerful file manager with split view, tabs, and plugins. More capable than most default file managers.
System requirements
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| RAM | 2 GB | 4 GB+ |
| Storage | 20 GB | 100 GB+ |
| Display | 1024×768 | 1920×1080 |
| Graphics | Any GPU with 3D acceleration (for effects) | |
If you have less than 4GB RAM or an older computer, consider Linux Mint Xfce or MATE for better performance.
Other Linux Mint editions
Same stable base, different desktop experience.
Xfce
LightweightThe lightest option. Ideal for older hardware or anyone who wants maximum performance.
- RAM: 1GB+ (2GB recommended)
- Feel: Fast, minimal
Compare Cinnamon
See how Cinnamon compares to other editions and distros.
Featured in
Linux Mint Cinnamon appears in these recommendation lists.
FAQ
What's the difference between Cinnamon and the other Mint editions?
All Mint editions share the same Ubuntu base, software repositories, and Mint tools. The difference is the desktop environment: Cinnamon is the most feature-rich and modern, MATE offers a classic GNOME 2 experience, and Xfce is the lightest for older hardware.
Is Cinnamon heavier than MATE or Xfce?
Yes, Cinnamon uses more RAM and CPU than MATE or Xfce due to its visual effects and features. On modern hardware (4GB+ RAM), you won't notice the difference. On older machines, consider Xfce or MATE.
Can I install Cinnamon on regular Ubuntu?
Yes, Cinnamon is available in Ubuntu's repositories. However, the experience is better on Linux Mint where Cinnamon is the default and tightly integrated with Mint's tools and theming.
How do I customize the Cinnamon desktop?
Right-click the desktop or panel for quick options. For full customization, go to System Settings → Themes, Applets, Desklets, or Extensions. You can download more from the built-in Spices portal.
Can I disable desktop effects for better performance?
Yes. Go to System Settings → Effects and disable animations, or toggle effects entirely. You can also switch to "Software rendering" in Display settings if your GPU struggles.
Is Cinnamon developed by Linux Mint?
Yes, Cinnamon was created by the Linux Mint team as a fork of GNOME Shell. It's actively developed alongside Mint and is the team's primary desktop environment.
Ready to try Linux Mint Cinnamon?
Download the ISO and create a bootable USB to test it out.