Is the Linux Mint kernel really different from Ubuntu's ?
Normally the kernel is different for each distro, developers generally build their own custom kernel on their own boxes, so that's the first thing they generally do in building their own distro.
As for mint I couldn't swear to it, but I'd have to say yes, because Ubuntu chugs along like an old plow horse and Mint streams along like a speed boat on my box. And that would be a direct result of a good kernel.
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