Summary
- ZorinOS is more modern and polished, making it easier for Windows/macOS users to switch.
- Built-in Windows app support installs .exe/.msi with a click; Mint requires manual WINE setup.
- Ships Wayland by default: crisper text, smooth animations, better scaling, NVIDIA and phone integration.
ZorinOS has been getting a lot of hype ever since Microsoft dropped support for Windows 10. Turns out the hype is justified. Linux Mint has been my go-to recommendation for Windows users, but testing ZorinOS changed my opinion.
ZorinOS is more modern and polished
Linux Mint, at least for most, just works straight out of the box with minimal configuration. It’s also incredibly stable. However, it does feel stuck in time when it comes to the look and feel of the OS. The Cinnamon desktop isn’t the most polished desktop experience either. The developers are more focused on its functionality and stability, so the visual detail takes a backseat.
ZorinOS feels like a modern commercial OS. It looks and feels familiar, but at the same time, you can tell that a lot of thought went into designing it. It feels polished and consistent with its UIs, icons, themes, animations, and layouts.
Sometimes Linux distros feel “amateurish” because they’re cobbled together without a consistent overarching UI/UX approach. ZorinOS is the opposite of that.
In a similar vein, there’s usually an expected learning curve when you’re switching to a Linux distro. That’s not the case with ZorinOS. It’s built to be easy for everyone. If you can use Windows or macOS, you can use ZorinOS just as easily.
Windows apps run with a single click
For people coming from Windows, ZorinOS has a built-in compatibility layer for Windows apps. There’s a utility called Windows App Support which allows you to double-click a Windows installer file (.exe or .msi) and install it just like you would on Windows. Not all Windows apps are compatible, but it works well enough for lightweight apps.
I believe people should find native alternatives instead of trying to make Windows apps work on Linux. ZorinOS has you covered on that front thanks to its intelligent app recommendations. When you try to run a Windows app on ZorinOS, it’ll show you a Linux alternative for that app, as well as a button to download it from the ZorinOS store.
Linux Mint doesn’t have any of these features. If you want support for Windows apps, you’d have to manually set up WINE.
A phone link replacement is built into ZorinOS
ZorinOS has Zorin Connect—a built-in replacement for Windows Phone Link. It lets you sync notifications and texts between your phone and desktop. You can also share files and links between your devices. Your phone can also act as a keyboard, mouse, or slideshow remote for the ZorinOS desktop.
Better software support
Both Linux Mint and ZorinOS have software stores where you can search and install apps with a single click. However, ZorinOS provides Snap support out of the box. Mint has it disabled by default.
Better NVIDIA support
Linux Mint has a built-in Driver Manager utility that can automatically detect your GPU and recommend a list of compatible drivers. If your machine has an NVIDIA GPU and you install Linux Mint on it, you’ll have to get the drivers using the Driver Manager after installing the OS.
ZorinOS makes it much simpler to install with NVIDIA drivers. While clicking through the ZorinOS installer, you’ll see the option to try or install ZorinOS with modern NVIDIA drivers. It automatically installs and activates the drivers during the OS installation.
Easier customization and simpler settings app
ZorinOS has excellent customization features. You can easily switch the desktop layouts and themes with a single click. With Mint, you have to customize things manually.
Also, ZorinOS has a centralized settings app. It’s, without a doubt, the best settings app I’ve ever seen on an operating system. It feels a lot like the macOS settings app if it weren’t as cluttered.
Mint has the classic systems settings center, which looks and feels more like the Control Panel on Windows. It’s definitely more powerful and provides better control. However, the ZorinOS settings app is designed to be simple and safe, which makes it a better choice for newcomers.
Smoother animations, crisp text, and better scaling
Wayland is a display technology that modern Linux systems use to get better visuals and scaling on high-resolution displays. ZorinOS uses it by default, but Mint is still stuck on the older X11 protocol.
With Wayland on ZorinOS, you’ll see crisp and sharp text (it reminds me of the font rendering on macOS). The animations are buttery smooth without stutter. On high-res displays, ZorinOS will give you better fractional scaling, so the UI always fits the display just right.
You also get much better touchpad gestures with ZorinOS. On Mint, you have to manually set up even the basic touchpad gestures.
Mint has been the king of “just works” distros for years, but ZorinOS has dethroned it, in my humble opinion. ZorinOS is also purposefully built to be a replacement for Windows, while Mint is more general purpose.
