Linux Mint 21.3 Review: solid Wayland support!

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Timecodes:
00:00 Intro
00:38 Sponsor: Thunderbird
01:26 Mint 21.3: still the old LTS
02:37 Wayland session: pretty good!
07:10 Wayland + Nvidia: no extra issues
08:20 Gaming: works as expected
09:51 Other Changes to Mint 21.3
12:11 Parting Thoughts
13:46 Sponsor: Tuxedo
14:56 Support the channel

#Linux #linuxmint #linuxdistro #wayland #linuxdesktop

Mint 21.3 is still based on Ubuntu 22.04 and its super old kernel, version 5.15. You do get the Mesa drivers version 23, but you don't get the latest Nvidia drivers either, you're still on 535.

So, you can select that new Wayland session from the login screen. I tested this on a spare laptop that uses an Intel Xe integrated GPU, and also has a dedicated Nvidia GPU.

At first glance, everything seems to work ok, but it's an experimental session, and it's missing a few things.
OBS, for example, has no source for the display: Cinnamon doesn't seem to support the screen sharing protocol through pipewire, so OBS has nothing to display here. You won't be sharing your screen to anyone just yet.

Another issue I encountered is the lack of any sudo graphical prompt: anytime I needed to install a package or update the system, I had to use the command line.

I also got some inconsistencies in the place where menus appeared, there were also a few things that I couldn't find, like changing the keyboard layout in the Wayland session, the "layouts" tab doesn't appear in the settings where it should be. The gestures of Cinnamon also don't work here for now, you can enable them, but they won't do anything.

The hot corners did work though, with their nice animations and features, but there were some weird graphical things happening. Some settings pages also seemed to have some sort of infinite scroll and didn't stop at their own content, which was a bit weird.

After that, I tried the Wayland session on Nvidia, and, all the problems I had experienced previously were still there, obviously, because they all are missing features in that experimental session, so no reason to expect them to work better here. But I also didn't get any other issue that I didn't see in the wayland session with the Mesa drivers.

So just as a little experiment, I also decided to run a game in the Wayland session, namely Warhammer 40K Mechanicus:
- Wayland + Intel: 25-32 FPS
- Wayland + Nvidia: 60-65 FPS
- X11 + Intel: 32-37 FPS
- X11 + Nvidia: 65-75 FPS

Ok, so now, let's talk about the other changes in Linux Mint 21.3. In terms of apps updates, Hypnotix, the TV watching app now lets you set channels as favorites. You can also create your own custom TV channels if you want.

Cinnamon will also now let you download Actions. These are add-ons for the file manager, that will appear in the right click context menu, letting you do, well, custom actions.

Warpinator, the file sharing app now lets you connect to a device manually by just entering its IP address of scanning a QR code. The Sticky Notes app can now be managed by DBus, meaning you can manage notes using scripts, and the bulk rename tool of Mint now supports drag and drop and thumbnails.

As per the desktop itself, you can now use 75% fractional scaling on X11 if you want that, you can also set keybinds to change the window opacity again, you can disable stylus buttons if you use that sort of hardware, and gestures got a bit better with the ability to set a gesture to zoom in on the desktop.

[brmoretti]

I am software developer and as tech enthusiast I tried many distros. However, nowadays, I just want a stable environment with everything working to get my job done. On this regard, Linux Mint takes the cake. No headaches about compatibility nor unexpected crashes. Congrats to developers of the project!

[tonigon]

My love of mint started I think with Mint 16, over the years I have tested every distro I could. Mint still prevails.

[SrWorfwood]

LMDE gets the same updates as the Ubuntu based version of Mint including the Wayland session but without having to update to a whole new release which always has a small risk of something going wrong. So if anyone here is curious about Mint but is allergic to Canonical, that's a very good option.

[Emancipatriot]

I really appreciate how the mint team doesn’t gatekeep cinnamon updates to mint itself. I installed cinnamon with the arch Linux tweak tool last week as a backup session for hyprland, and I have the options for Wayland and software rendering for my cinnamon desktop.

[Maisonier]

Linux Mint is, hands down, the go-to distro for anyone diving into the Linux world, even for everyday tasks. It's notably more stable than Fedora, with none of those pesky issues cropping up every six months. It's also more user-friendly than Debian or Arch. The only drawback I can point out is that it might not be as visually stunning as Elementary OS. Nevertheless, sprucing up its appearance is a breeze with just a few clicks, activate transparencies, install tools like Conky Manager, and opt for sleek themes like Qogir or Layan, along with stylish icons for Plank.

[synosahil]

Mint never fails to impress us ❤ one of my most favourite for a reason

[joeMW]

The fact that the Mint team is very conservative with their updates is a feature for me. I'd rather have a consistently reliable system and not always be spending time googling stuff to sort out bugs. I think Mint is a model of what a mainstream distro should be. Everything I throw at it works.

[hoopoe__]

I really love the simplicity of Linux Mint and I install it from time to time but I always leave because some package is still in an "ancient" version. Would love a Mint based on Debian Testing.

[mirage]

Ah, Linux Mint. The old reliable, the Honda Civic of Linux distros. It's never been flashy, never been on the cutting edge of what the Linux has to offer. But it never had to be, other distros fill that niche wonderfully. No, Mint's strength has always been and always will be that is solid as rock. Few distros have a more stable user experience.

Good to see that the Wayland session is somewhat usable already. It's very early days indeed, but Cinnamon is off to a very good start (even if it is a late start).

Personally I've always been interested in LMDE more than the Ubuntu based version however. I find myself wondering how close the experiences are by now, as LMDE is meant to be the backup plan should Ubuntu ever become unusable as a base.

(On a whole different note: good looking AdMech army dude! They always looked challenging to paint with all those robes they got going. Dark Angels and Chaos Marines player here.)

[ariathyf]

Happy new year Nico ! You helped to make 2023 a fun and interesting Linux one for sure.

[williamgorden]

Thanks Nick! I have stuck with Mint for many years since first trying it a long time ago. Never any real issues, always reliable and productive. The update cycles work well. Love your channel, thanks for the continuing good work. Have a good 2024.

[EverybodyLinux]

I recently installed the 20.3 and i really love it. i am looking forward to upgrade to the 21.3! thanks for the video

[Because-Linux]

Damn. Just checked 'cause I was wondering. When I started watching, you were at 274K subs. Now you're at 323K. Congradulations.

[ahuman]

Thank you for this great update on whats happening on Mint! It is the only one I go back to and have stuck with for years now. As one great wise man said, "It just works!". But seriously, it really does. Anyone that wants to learn and know about Linux, I point them to Mint right away and most times, people come back after a while and told me how easy to has been teaching them how to use Linux and they even went to try other distros after.

[Nepoxification]

I'd love to see you try out something with Hyprland. I know it's not your preferred choice but it would be interesting to see it as some kind of experiment. Like the new Garuda Hyprland version.

[inhuman]

Love your AdMech paint scheme!

Also glad to know Mint is getting it's Wayland stuff in shape. It's my go to recommend for people new to Linux. And I've had my mother using it on her laptops for almost a decade. I would hate for her to have to switch to something else.

[Sakurina]

I also got the experimental Wayland session by updating my LMDE 6 machine this morning for what it’s worth.

[sidheart]

i recently updated to 21.3 and it was very fast and without any hiccups, I love how package manager is working, and through command line also its very easy just need to change package name to virginia . overall great experience and a very stable build.

[ok-Luis]

Thanks Nick, as always you have the best Linux-related content 😊

[nosotrosloslobosestamosreg]

LMDE 6 Faye just got Cinnamon 6.0.4 just yesterday... and Wayland session wroks fine so far.