In this video, we’ll take a detailed look at Linux Mint 22.3 to see what’s new this time around. While Mint remains one of the most reliable and beginner-friendly Linux distributions available, this release is a noticeably smaller update than some may expect.
I’ll cover the new features included in Linux Mint 22.3, share hands-on impressions, and talk about the downsides as well. If you’re currently running Linux Mint or considering switching to Linux, this review will help you decide whether Linux Mint 22.3 is the right upgrade for you.
Intro
In today’s article, we’re taking a look at the latest release of Linux Mint, one of the most popular desktop Linux distributions available. Version 22.3 was released recently, and in this video I’ll be reviewing the flagship Cinnamon Edition. As always, we’ll go over what’s new and I’ll share my thoughts along the way.
This release is more of an incremental update, so Linux Mint 22.3 isn’t trying to reinvent the desktop experience. While it’s a bit lighter on major new features, there are still some notable changes worth discussing—such as the redesigned Mint menu and updated system tools. I’ll show you the new release in action, highlight what Mint continues to do well, and point out a few areas where there’s room for improvement.
Let’s dive in!
About Mint
First, let’s talk a bit more about Linux Mint itself. Most of you watching are probably already familiar with it, since Mint is one of the most popular Linux distributions out there. But for those who are new, one of Mint’s biggest strengths is how easy it is to use. It’s an excellent choice for beginners, while still being a stable and reliable platform for intermediate and advanced users who just want something that works.
Mint aims to handle as much as possible for you right out of the box. It comes preinstalled with applications for nearly every common task, including an office suite, file manager, web browser, email client, and more. On top of that, Mint includes built-in tools for managing system updates, installing drivers, configuring the firewall, setting up backups, and handling other common administrative tasks.
Stability is another major selling point. Linux Mint 22.3 is based on Ubuntu 24.04, a long-term support release. That foundation gives Mint a solid, dependable base, making it a great choice for getting real work done without constantly worrying about breakage or major changes.
The flagship edition of Linux Mint uses the Cinnamon desktop environment, which is what I’m reviewing today. Cinnamon is fast, efficient, and highly customizable. While it hasn’t seen many major new features recently, it remains a polished and dependable desktop environment that works well for the vast majority of users.
What’s New?
With the release of Linux Mint 22.3, you might be wondering what’s new. The short answer is: not a whole lot. This is very much an incremental update, and it doesn’t introduce any major features that will dramatically change how you use your computer or suddenly make you more productive. That said, there are still a few improvements worth highlighting.
The most noticeable change is a completely redesigned application menu. While it doesn’t significantly alter your workflow, it does look cleaner and more modern overall. The new menu is also highly customizable, offering a variety of options to tailor it to your preferences. You can enable or disable the sidebar, switch to full-color category icons, change the menu icon, add a label, and more.
Another welcome improvement is the System Information app, which is now more useful than before. In addition to the existing tabs, the Mint team has added new sections for USB devices, GPU, PCI, and BIOS information. This makes it easier to see not just general system details, but also what hardware is connected to your system. The BIOS section even reports whether Secure Boot is enabled, which is a nice touch.
There are also a few new system utilities included in this release. The System Administration app brings together various settings for managing your computer, and there’s now a dedicated tool for managing Thunderbolt devices as well.
Beyond these changes, there are many smaller refinements spread throughout the desktop—too many to list individually. Taken as a whole, Linux Mint 22.3 feels polished and thoughtfully put together, with a strong attention to detail that reinforces Mint’s reputation as a stable and refined desktop experience.
What are the Pros of Mint?
Overall, Linux Mint continues to be an easy-to-use distribution that appeals to a wide range of users, while handling as many common computing tasks as possible right out of the box. Even something like adding a printer is straightforward—I simply connected to the network, and Mint detected and configured it automatically. It really doesn’t get much easier than that.
Installation is just as simple. The process is nearly unchanged from previous releases, with the installer following the same familiar workflow. You can boot into live mode to try the distribution first, and when you’re ready to install, it’s just a matter of launching the installer and answering a handful of questions. On most systems, the installation finishes in under ten minutes.
Once installed, Linux Mint feels very well thought out. Because it includes nearly every setting and utility you’re likely to need, it delivers one of the most complete out-of-the-box desktop experiences available. Overall, it’s a solid and well-designed distribution—but it’s not perfect, and there are a few downsides worth discussing.
What are the downsides?
Speaking of downsides, some of the new additions in Linux Mint 22.3 also highlight areas where the distribution struggles, and in a few cases, even make it feel slightly bloated.
For example, the new System Administration app currently contains just a single setting: boot options. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with adding new customization options, it’s hard to justify introducing an entirely new application to house only one setting. From my perspective, that feels like an inefficient use of development resources, and the app itself feels incomplete as a result.
A similar issue applies to the new Thunderbolt management app. While it’s certainly nice to have easier control over Thunderbolt devices, it’s yet another standalone utility. These options could have been integrated into System Administration instead of creating a separate application altogether. At this point, things start to feel a bit fragmented. If a new user wants to change a system-related setting, where should they look? System Settings? System Administration? Or one of the other individual configuration apps? Thunderbolt settings, for instance, feel like something that should logically live in System Settings, yet they’re handled by a dedicated app instead. The line between these tools is becoming increasingly unclear, and it raises the question of why they aren’t consolidated into a more unified experience.
More concerning is that while Cinnamon continues to add standalone configuration utilities that could arguably be merged, support for newer technologies like Wayland and HDR continues to lag behind other popular desktop environments. At this point, I’d argue that Mint would benefit from pausing the addition of new utilities and focusing instead on consolidation, cleanup, and improving support for modern display technologies.
If this trend continues, there’s a real risk that Linux Mint could start to be seen as bloated rather than simple and easy to use—one of its defining strengths. To be clear, these issues are relatively minor today, but thinking long-term, they’re worth addressing. If Mint continues down this path without reevaluating its approach, it could eventually start to lose users who value clarity and simplicity above all else.
Overall
As for my overall opinion of Linux Mint 22.3, I think it’s still a great distribution. While it’s showing some signs of shifting focus and a bit of utility fatigue, it remains one of my top recommendations for beginners who are new to the Linux community, as well as for experienced users who want a system that just works so they can stay productive.
Linux Mint continues to be a reliable and well-rounded distribution, offering nearly all the features most users will ever need. Looking ahead, my hope is that the Mint development team focuses on consolidating its growing collection of utilities and prioritizes areas that truly matter—such as improved support for Wayland and HDR—rather than continuing to add features that don’t significantly improve the overall experience.
This balance is what has always made Mint appealing, and refining that focus will help ensure it remains one of the best desktop Linux options available.
