Operating Systems · head to head
Pop!_OS vs Linux Mint
Pop!_OS
Operating Systems
Ubuntu-based Linux distribution tuned for developers and GPU work
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Linux Mint
Operating Systems
Ubuntu-based Linux distribution built for familiarity
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Pop!_OS built primarily around System76 hardware, so other machines get less attention; Linux Mint based on Ubuntu LTS, so packages are deliberately older than rolling distributions
- They diverge on capability: Pop!_OS covers NVIDIA ISO, Linux Mint covers Cinnamon desktop.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Pop!_OS and Linux Mint actually diverge.
| Attribute | Pop!_OS | Linux Mint |
|---|
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), free tier (Yes), platforms (Linux, Desktop), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Operating Systems).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Pop!_OS
- NVIDIA ISO
- Auto-tiling
- Pop!_Shop
- Ubuntu base
Only in Linux Mint
- Cinnamon desktop
- Codecs included
- Ubuntu package base
- Update manager
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Pop!_OS
- Machine learning and graphics work needing NVIDIA drivers that work on first bootnot Linux Mint
- Developers who want tiling without configuring a window managernot Linux Mint
- System76 hardware, which it is built aroundnot Linux Mint
Linux Mint
- Moving a desktop or laptop off Windows with minimal retrainingnot Pop!_OS
- Reviving older hardware that struggles with current Windows releasesnot Pop!_OS
- Everyday desktop use where stability matters more than the newest packagesnot Pop!_OS
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Pop!_OS
- Built primarily around System76 hardware, so other machines get less attention
- Based on Ubuntu LTS, so packages lag current upstream
- A smaller team than Ubuntu or Fedora, and releases have sometimes slipped well behind the Ubuntu base
- The COSMIC desktop rewrite has been a long transition with the older GNOME-based version in maintenance
Linux Mint
- Based on Ubuntu LTS, so packages are deliberately older than rolling distributions
- Cinnamon is less polished on fractional scaling and multi-monitor setups than GNOME or KDE
- Smaller team than Ubuntu or Fedora, which shows in the pace of security response for its own components
- Wayland support has lagged behind the major desktops
Pricing, plan by plan
Pop!_OS
Free- Pop!_OSFree
- Full functionality
- Commercial use permitted
- Community support
Linux Mint
Free- Linux MintFree
- Full operating system
- All updates
- Community support
Which should you pick?
Choose Pop!_OS if
- You need nvidia iso.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Desktop.
- You also want auto-tiling.
Choose Linux Mint if
- You need cinnamon desktop.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Desktop.
- You also want codecs included.
Questions people ask
- Is Pop!_OS or Linux Mint better?
- Neither clearly leads. Pop!_OS starts at Free and Linux Mint at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Pop!_OS or Linux Mint?
- Pop!_OS starts at Free and Linux Mint at Free.
- Does Pop!_OS or Linux Mint run on more platforms?
- Both run on Linux, Desktop, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Pop!_OS for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Pop!_OS best used for?
- Pop!_OS is most often used for machine learning and graphics work needing nvidia drivers that work on first boot, developers who want tiling without configuring a window manager, system76 hardware, which it is built around. Of those, machine learning and graphics work needing nvidia drivers that work on first boot and developers who want tiling without configuring a window manager are not what Linux Mint is typically brought in for.
- What can Pop!_OS do that Linux Mint cannot?
- Pop!_OS covers NVIDIA ISO, Auto-tiling, Pop!_Shop, Ubuntu base. Linux Mint covers Cinnamon desktop, Codecs included, Ubuntu package base, Update manager.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Pop!_OS: Is Pop!_OS free?
Yes, free and open source. System76 funds it through hardware sales.
Linux Mint: Is Linux Mint free?
Yes, entirely free and open source, funded by donations and sponsors.
Pop!_OS: Why is there a separate NVIDIA download?
It ships with the proprietary GPU drivers already installed and working, which removes the most common first-day failure on Linux for GPU work.
Linux Mint: Is Linux Mint good for beginners?
It is one of the most commonly recommended distributions for people leaving Windows, because the desktop layout is conventional and media codecs are installed by default.
Pop!_OS: Is it just Ubuntu?
It is based on Ubuntu LTS and uses its repositories, with a different desktop, tiling, an NVIDIA image and System76 tuning on top.
Linux Mint: Can I run Ubuntu software on Linux Mint?
Yes. Mint is built on Ubuntu and uses its repositories, so nearly all Ubuntu packages and instructions apply.
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