Linux Mint release new ISO images for improved hardware support

Linux Mint’s plans switch to a longer development cycle – the next major release is now due towards the end of the year – will have a knock on effect for anyone trying to install the distro on newer hardware – so a solution has been found.

The team have begin publishing “updated ISO images called HWE (Hardware Enablement)” to “address compatibility issues with brand new hardware”, says project lead Clem.

Being based on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS means those who install Linux Mint 22.3 do receive new kernel versions as software updates. Useful for those who’ve already installed it, but not as useful for those trying to install the distro from the ISO – Linux Mint 22.3 ISO has Linux kernel 6.14 preinstalled.

“Today we’re publishing HWE ISO images for Linux Mint 22.3 with kernel 6.17. Going forward, we will publish HWE ISOs for the latest release whenever a newer kernel becomes available in the package base”, he adds.

These new ISOs are not new releases of Linux Mint in the traditional sense, just Linux Mint but with a newer kernel built-in – like Ubuntu point release media (but not quite as also include other updates).

If you have a shiny new laptop powered by the most recent Intel Core Series processors, you may run in to issues booting the original Linux Mint 22.3 release, since its kernel was released long before the hardware was available.

But with the new HWE ISO, a more recent kernel is included – currently 6.17 (which rolled out in the Ubuntu 24.04.4 HWE). A new ISO with Linux 7.0 will be published around August time as that’s when the Ubuntu 24.04.5 HWE stack rolls out.

You can download Linux Mint’s new HWE ISOs from the dedicated page on the official website.