For me the question is quite easy to answer.
I’ve been using Linux since the ’90s. I’ve tested both, Mint and Manjaro a number of times. Last time I used Manjaro… today. But not for me. For my father. Who has no clue of Linux at all. Personally, I’ve used SuSE back in the ’90s, Ubuntu before and Arch for some years on more than 10 devices. Just so you know, where I’m coming from.
Mint is the first thing newbies usually hear about. It’s structured like Windows and just for that property alone people think it’s easier to use than other options. Mint is the easy entry level. While Ubuntu has been called the Linux of the Windows world, thanks to looks Mint comes even closer.
Manjaro… well, it’s a derivative of Arch Linux, which on Slant still is the number one desktop operating system, according to 1,500 votes. Arch is for enthusiasts and power users. Manjaro is certainly not Arch, but way more beginner-friendly.
Both are foremost used on desktop. Although, Manjaro has branched a bit into ARM.
Let’s look a bit deeper.
Mint uses a version system with 5 years between releases. It’s actually more or less a copy of Ubuntu LTS, that comes out every other year, with a few changes. Mint modifies the graphical user interface and adds a few minor tools. Unlike Ubuntu it doesn’t directly support version upgrades. It suggests options, but it doesn’t support it directly. There is actually a second option that is based on Debian directly. Mint offers a number of the usual desktop environments, primarily Mate and XFCE and also it’s very own option Cinnamon. The version system makes it fall behind in terms of development and you have to expect annoying upgrade notifications of applications like your web browser.
Manjaro is a quasi rolling release. I call it that, because Arch is a rolling release distro, but Manjaro hold back upgrades and therefore creates kind of a version system. In fact it’s even offered with version numbers. Unlike Arch it comes with older kernels but is certainly way closer to bleeding edge than Mint. It comes with a GUI out of the box and is just more beginner-friendly. The first hint is, that Manjaro offers a wide variety of graphical user interfaces, like Mate, XFCE, Openbox, I3, Awesome, Gnome, KDE… note, NOT Cinnamon! You might want to look deeper. While other options like Mate or XFCE are mainstream, Cinnamon is barely accepted among other users and distros. Manjaro keeps the upgrades coming. Not as fast as Arch, but way more than Mint.
Let me summarize, what has been said so far: you are more likely to run into trouble with upgrades on Mint, than you would on Manjaro. Also, Manjaro offers more choices in terms of user interfaces and architectures. The same btw holds true for the available software in the repos. Because Manjaro uses the Arch Linux Community repo (AUR). Just read about it. Let’s just say, Ubuntu and derivative users often need to go beyond their home depot (hint: PPAs. Justs google it)… while Arch users barely ever go beyond their home base. The Arch Linux community repo is an incredible concept.
Just to have said it, there is barely any difference in user-friendliness. Both are very beginner-friendly, easy to install and easy to use and the according user interfaces on both are structured similar to Windows.
So, what did my tests show. Well, let’s slide right into it…
In every single one of my tests, Mint has ALWAYS been outperformed by other options and even it’s own parent, Ubuntu. Mint is heavy on resources, slow, just like Ubuntu it’s bloated, it freezes when you start applications, in the cons on Slant you can also read, that it is unstable, it shows UI glitches,… even more so with their very own Cinnamon. The same goes for RAM load! In my tests ALL Mint options took more than 4 minutes to boot. This alone would account for little. but Manjaro took only one and a half minutes. Note: same device, same port, same medium,… same everything! Fair comparison.
And this is basically the story. The Ubuntu setup of an average user which I maintain, has currently 3065 packages installed. Around 3,000 packages is quite normal for Ubuntu. Mint is a derivative of Ubuntu and uses Ubuntu LTS versions. My bloated Arch Linux setup (power user with more than 20 year experience) has currently 1308 packages installed. That should tell you something. Manjaro is way lighter, performs better, boots faster, doesn’t freeze upon application launch, constantly upgrades, comes with a well-rounded set of tools for everyday use, makes additional installs easier,…
In my tests Manjaro actually came out as the next best thing after Arch and barely anything ever came close. Btw, the same on Slant. Manjaro ranks second for best desktop operating system too. In my tests it was always fast, reliable, user-friendly, solid,… Manjaro is a great options for beginners. Short: in my book Manjaro wins every time and by a landslide. It’s not even a close race.
In case you want to know more about distributions and the differences, you might want to check out the Linux Distributions Guide, which is free.
Also, going by the nature of the question I would have to assume, that you are a beginner and didn’t really get your feet wet yet. Because if you did, you would know, that you could just try them and see for yourself. In case you are a beginner, you might want to read Linux Start For Windows Users, a kindle book.
It explains what you need to know for choosing the Linux image, how you can start with Linux and test it in a safe environment, how to prepare your hard drive and install Linux (example is Manjaro!), how you would install it next to Windows, how you would remove it in case, basic troubleshooting and where you find help. So, pretty much everything you need as a beginner.
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