Ubuntu or Linux Mint: which Linux to leave Windows?

You may have already replaced the search engine, the email, the browser. That leaves the machine itself. Moving to a free operating system is often the last step when you want to leave Google and Windows in the same movement. To get started, two names always come up: Ubuntu and Linux Mint. Both are free, and Mint is built on Ubuntu, from which it inherits its software catalog. The real difference plays out elsewhere: in the interface, and in your habits.

The match in one table

Criterion	Ubuntu	Linux Mint
Price	Free	Free
Interface	Different from Windows, changes your habits	Windows-like: taskbar, start menu
Telemetry	A little (can be disabled)	None
Community	The largest in the Linux world	Massive, with many tutorials in French
Updates	LTS releases supported for 5 years	Stable
Target audience	Comfortable with computers, developers	Beginners leaving Windows

What Ubuntu does better

Name recognition. Ubuntu is the best-known Linux distribution in the world, and that changes daily life: every problem already has a documented solution somewhere. Hardware support is excellent, LTS releases are supported for 5 years, and the release cycle is predictable. You know what you’re getting into.

It’s also the Linux of people comfortable with computers. Widely used by developers and in education, it runs well-known applications like Steam or Slack, and the Snap Store makes installing them simple. Still, expect a learning curve, well cushioned by the excellent documentation. One last reservation: Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, collects a little telemetry. It can be turned off, but you have to think of it.

What Linux Mint does better

Familiarity. The Cinnamon interface looks like what you know: taskbar at the bottom, start menu, file explorer. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, printer: everything works from installation. Someone coming from Windows keeps their bearings from the first boot, with nothing to relearn.

Mint also scores points on discretion. No telemetry, stable updates, good performance on old PCs: it’s the ideal candidate to give a tired machine a second life. The Live USB also lets you test the system without touching your disk, before you commit. And if you get stuck, the community is massive and tutorials in French are plentiful.

Verdict

Choose Ubuntu if you’re comfortable with computers and want the largest community in the Linux world. It’s also the natural choice for development or study.

Choose Linux Mint if you’re leaving Windows without wanting to relearn everything, or if you want to bring an old PC back to life. It’s my default recommendation for the general public.

Either way, allow some adjustment time: some Windows programs have no direct equivalent. But you walk away with a free, open system that puts your machine back in your hands. The detailed profiles: Ubuntu and Linux Mint, and all the alternatives to Windows and macOS.