That still counts. I have 25 years in IT and I’m still surprised by every new machine. F2? Why?

Clear Linux was maintained by Intel and specifically tuned to Intel hardware. The speed enhancement it has over other distros is only possible on a very limited set of hardware.

Agreed. Mint is a very ‘new Linux user’ friendly distro, and has everything you really need. I’ve got some recent converts from Windows and even the gamers I’ve set up are happy with it.

Which is why I moved to Debian/Ubuntu based and haven’t looked back. But functionally, nearly every distro has a different strength and purpose, so go with whatever piques your interest.

I’m a recent convert from Mint Cinnamon to Kubuntu. I would definitely recommend it for being user friendly.