(Resolved)Mate or xfce?

[rc_racer]

I have an acer laptop (2010-I think) Came with windows 7 (64 bit) and has a 250 gig Hard drive with 4 gigs of ram and would like to install Linux Mint Mate on it but I am wondering if it would be to much of a hog on the system resources or would Linux Mint xfce be better for this type of Laptop?

I went with Mate for my laptop because it has been said that it works with both older and newer computers. With that said, I have Mint Cinnamon on my desktop and Love it, although Mate is good for my laptop, I prefer Cinnamon. I am discovering Mate but I will say that I had a much harder time getting connected to the Internet for some reason with it than I did cinnamon. Took many attempts but finally it worked. May yet try xfce.

I got rid of the windows 7 on the Laptop even though out of all the windows OS I think that has been the best for me.Windows 10 made me sick! Glad to be rid of it off my Desktop. Thanks for the Advise and opinions. I also think this is the best forum I have found so far.

[xenopeek]

Either one will work fine. You should select based on which appeals most to you.

[richmorehave]

I have tried Cinnamon, Mate, and Xfce, and I prefer Mate on all my PC's (netbooks, older pc's and newer PC's). I like how things are set up and how it just works with all my PC's.

This way , for me, no matter what PC I start, it's all going to function the same way.

Now, some people know Xfce , like the back of their hand, and recommend that. And if they have Xfce on all their PC's, it would give them same experience as me.

Cinnamon seems great for New or Newer PC's , and if you only have one New Computer in your home, then I can see some picking that version.

I have tried all types of other Distro's too, but always come back to Linux Mint MATE.

[Habitual]

Xfce

[richmorehave]

OP
You could always triple boot. You could have windows 7-10, Linux Mate, and Linux Xfce and find out for yourself which you prefer. I did that. And if you get frustrated go back to your Windows 7-10 partition until you are ready to jump in again and learn more Linux. I did that back and forth for about 2 weeks. Then I made Linux Mint Mate by go to distro, and go back to windows 10 maybe once or twice a month (usually holding my nose as I do). I actually like Linux Mint better than windows NOW.

[Ronnie01]

Mate is built on old Gnome 2 "technology". When Gnome 2 was determined in favor of Gnome 3, some users of (i thought) Arch Linux continued with Gnome 2 but then as a fork called Mate. Now it is also moving towards newer "technologies" to keep Mate up-to-date. Mate was developed for those users missing the good old Gnome2. Therefore the desktop might look like a bit outdated

Xfce is still using the same "technology" as in the early days. And it provides a sleek desktop environment. It's fast, reliable and can be modified in any way you like. It has a bit more modern looking desktop environment than Mate. But both are lightweight.

[Hoser Rob]

I've found Xfce a bit faster than Mate but if you otherwise liked Mate better it isn't enough of a difference to be a deal breaker. The thing that was a deal breaker for me in Mate is that you can't use a vertical side panel. I use a vertical side panel for launchers for program favorites, and I want it on the side. But that's a matter of taste. YMMV.

Just dl both live cd iso versions and test them in live boot, preferably from a USB stick because optical drives are too slow to get a feel for things. Don't just install both desktops. That's a good way to make your OS unreliable, and the problems are hard to diagnose. You wouldn''t solve it here and the best fix for those problems is just to reinstall. So pick the one you prefer and stick with it.

[all41]

The thing that was a deal breaker for me in Mate is that you can't use a vertical side panel.

You certainly can

[richmorehave]

Well, the order of most users that use Linux Mint Distro''s is :
49 percent Cinnamon (generally used on newer equipment)
20 percent Mate (generally used on both newer and older equipment)
12 percent KDE (generally used on higher end PC's)
11 percent LMDE (debian version)
09 percent Xfce (used in older PC's)

When a NEW release is made generally it's for the first 2 most popular versions, then as time goes on a month or 2 later the other versions get released.

My 8 computers are older tech levels , and I can get Cinnamon to work on a few of them, I can get Mate to work on all of them.

We have members in forum rooms that have been doing Linux Mint for a few years, and newer members that are not as familiar with Linux apps and ways of doing things.

Some of the older Linux users do like Xfce because they know how to install the programs they like and have cheat sheets on setting it up the way they like it.

Mate is already set up for you and you only have to add programs you like using the software installer.

The OP has a computer with 4 gig ram and computer made 5 years ago, is a Windows user and wondered if Mate would be too much of a resource hog. And it would not be at all. Since he is a New Linux Mint user I recommended Mate for him. Some guys recommended Xfce. I told him to try both and do tri-boot and he can find out for himself which he likes. I did this and for me, and me only, Mate is what I prefer.

[fred19]

I prefer XFCE over Mate as I find the start menu far more logical. I have loaded it on various computers, new and old, and never had a problem with things not working or missing programs.

[pcpunk]

I will add to the "Mate" Vote!!!!

For a new user and with that pc, Mate should be awesome! I've booted Mate from pc's with less power and it ran super! and is just better for noobs IMO. Like was said by one member, run them both from a USB and you will see which is better for you. Mate is a little more intuitive imo, but Xfce will surely give more speed if that is wanted, not much more though IMO. Mate also comes with many things already installed that Xfce don't have by default.

Even Cinnamon might work well on that one, we would need to see some specs though first.

pcpunk

[fred19]

I will add to the "Mate" Vote!!!!

Mate also comes with many things already installed that Xfce don't have by default.



pcpunk

What is on mate that isn't on Xfce?

[Schultz]

A bit off topic, but this is why I prefer Mate to Xfce. This may seem silly to some, but I switched from Xfce to Mate because of this: I prefer the folder view to be "Compact," except in the case of folders I have that contain images and/or videos. In that case I want the folder view to be "Icons," for obvious reasons. But in Xfce you can only have one view that is system wide (unless I did something wrong). In Mate each individual folder can have its own view setting.

[richmorehave]

Yeah, it's little things like that, and other things you notice once you try both. Try both versions just for a test, so just tri-boot Mate 18,Xfce18, and Cinnamon 18 giving each just 20 gig's with just 1 partition ./ each. (No added /home separate partition ( I never use a extra /home partition for distros). Then for 2 weeks give it a test. What is there to debate. You like what you like. If Xfce rocks your boat, for you it's Xfce. If Mate rocks you boat or even Cinnamon, it's all good.

After 2 weeks you can make your decision and give the Distro 100 gig's. Now if you have a 1 TB hard drive you could be a little generous, and keep all 3 distro's and start off making them each 100 gig. It's Free.

[Mordynak]

Personally. I would go with Xfce.

I find it to be a lot more flexible. I also find it to be more responsive.

I find editing panels in Mate to be rather tedious. You can't get a list of all the different items you are using. Also, items can be moved individually, which may sound like a plus, but you end up with 1px or larger gaps between items.

I generally remove the show desktop and launcher icons near the application launcher. Doing so in Xfce is super easy and all the other items just fall in place, whereas in Mate, you end up with lots of gaps, then having to move the window switcher applet by hand, instead of it just falling into place.

I also find theming to be a lot nicer in Xfce.

Anyway, as others have said, try both, see for yourself which you prefer.