LMDE 7 (Gigi)
Linux Mint has been the go-to distribution for users who want an out-of-the-box experience and an easy transition from Windows. It's what we all recommend to new users, or "newbies". Mint, like many other distros, is Ubuntu-based, but it's always had, shall we say, an interesting relationship with Ubuntu, symbiotic but not fully committed. Which explains its modest sibling, LMDE (Linux Mint Debian Edition): It's Linux Mint, but with no connection to Ubuntu: rather it's based on Debian. Conceived as a "What do we do if Ubuntu disappears?" backup, it's matured sufficiently to be my daily driver.
All the Minty goodness is there. And I was impressed by the smooth upgrade from 6 to 7. It's probably not all Mint (in terms of handing out credit); Debian itself has become much more user-friendly in recent years.
Tech details: Based on Debian 13 “Trixie” Kernel: Linux 6.12 (LTS) Cinnamon 6.4.12 The Mint Tools: Update Manager, Software Manager, Timeshift, and more Upgrade: Easy upgrade from 6 to 7. LMDE vs Ubuntu-Based Mint Same car, same driving experience, different engine: LMDE 7 (Debian) Mint (Ubuntu) Debian 13 “Trixie” Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Debian repos Ubuntu repos + PPAs Ultra-stable, conservative updates Stable with broader software access Mint’s fallback plan Mint’s flagship edition Identical Cinnamon desktop
Final thoughts
LMDE has come into its own as a distro, and most people really wouldn't notice the differences. It's probably still the safer bet to install the Ubuntu-based version for complete newbies. But whatever version you choose, you’re getting a refined, consistent experience that just works out of the box. Mint, whether Debian or Ubuntu based, is a consistent, reliable, go-to distro.
PS
I had someone tell me they went back to Ubuntu because they didn't like Cinnamon. What they really wanted was Gnome. Fair enough. It's very easy to install Gnome on Mint (I do so routinely) and you can choose between desktops at login, and default to Gnome if you want to. As a general point, you don't need to change distros to change desktop environments.