Choosing between Ubuntu and Ubuntu MATE means deciding which desktop interface fits the way you use your computer. Ubuntu MATE pairs Ubuntu with the MATE desktop, while Ubuntu Desktop uses GNOME by default.
I’ll explain how the default desktops differ and show you how to compare them in live sessions before installing.
TL;DR: Ubuntu MATE vs Ubuntu
Choose Ubuntu MATE for its traditional MATE desktop and Ubuntu Desktop for Canonical’s GNOME-based default. Both draw on Ubuntu, but the out-of-box interface and default software differ.
- Ubuntu Desktop suits users who want GNOME and Canonical’s standard desktop setup.
- Ubuntu MATE suits users who prefer panels, menus and MATE’s classic desktop layout.
- Do not treat “lightweight” as a guaranteed speed or memory result. Hardware, drivers and workload matter.
- Check the release’s support dates and try a live session before installing.
What Is Ubuntu MATE?
Ubuntu MATE is an official Ubuntu flavor that combines the Ubuntu base with the MATE desktop environment.
A desktop environment is the graphical session and tools that provide the user interface for opening apps and managing windows. Its window manager handles application windows, while the broader desktop adds session settings and applications. Our desktop environment and window manager explainer separates those terms.
The MATE project describes MATE as a continuation of GNOME 2. The project maintains it as a current desktop environment.
| MATE application | What it handles |
|---|---|
| Caja | Browse local and network files, preview items and open associated apps. |
| Pluma | Edit text files with features such as syntax highlighting and auto-indentation. |
| Eye of MATE | View and navigate image files. |
| Atril | Read PDF and other document formats. |
| Engrampa | Create, inspect and extract archives. |
| MATE Terminal | Run shell commands in a terminal window. |
The MATE project lists these utilities among its desktop applications. Check the notes for the image you plan to install if one of them matters to you.
You can choose different programs from the Ubuntu release’s package sources, subject to their version and support terms. When comparing desktops, try your preferred file manager or editor rather than judging the entire environment by one bundled application.
Ubuntu flavors are community projects with distinct desktop environments. The MATE desktop is also available on other distributions.
Canonical’s Ubuntu flavors page lists Ubuntu MATE as a flavor and links to its project. The Ubuntu MATE project is community-developed, and its download page lists the flavor’s images.
The MATE desktop also appears on other Linux distributions, while the comparison here focuses on the Ubuntu MATE flavor image.
The desktop’s default applications are a starting set, not a rule that every user must keep. Menus, notifications and system settings can integrate differently across desktop environments. If you depend on a panel indicator or app-specific add-on, check whether it supports the session you plan to use.
How Ubuntu MATE and Ubuntu Differ
Use the table to compare the default tools and the reasons to choose each desktop.
| Decision point | Ubuntu Desktop | Ubuntu MATE |
|---|---|---|
| Default desktop | GNOME with Ubuntu’s desktop customizations | MATE with a traditional panel-and-menu layout |
| Default tools | GNOME and Ubuntu-selected desktop applications | MATE tools such as Caja, Pluma and MATE Terminal |
| Project | Canonical’s Ubuntu Desktop product | Community-developed Ubuntu flavor |
| Best reason to choose | You want the Ubuntu GNOME workflow and its defaults | You want MATE’s familiar desktop arrangement and tools |
| Resource expectations | Measure on your own machine and workload | May suit some modest systems, but no universal speed or RAM guarantee |
Compare the controls you use instead of treating a theme or wallpaper as the main difference.
| Daily task | Ubuntu Desktop’s default | Ubuntu MATE’s default |
|---|---|---|
| Find and launch an app | Use the GNOME overview and its search. | Use the panel menu or a launcher. |
| Move between open windows | Use the overview and workspace controls. | Use the panel window list and workspace applets. |
| Keep frequent controls visible | Use Ubuntu’s dock and GNOME settings. | Arrange panel applets and launchers. |
| Change the desktop setup | Use Ubuntu’s desktop settings and available extensions. | Use MATE’s settings and panel preferences. |
How the Desktop Changes Daily Work
GNOME’s overview supports app search and workspace switching. MATE uses panel menus and launchers, which can be rearranged and extended with applets.
Ubuntu MATE’s project describes its flavor as suitable for modest hardware, but that is a project description rather than a benchmark. Resource use depends on the desktop, drivers and workload. Compare both sessions with the same applications open and check whether delays occur while switching windows or after the workload grows.
Ubuntu groups packages into archive components. Our guide to enabling the Universe repository in Ubuntu explains how one component is exposed to APT.
If you are comparing MATE with another traditional desktop, our Linux Mint Cinnamon vs MATE comparison covers those desktop choices. Cinnamon is the default for some Linux Mint editions, while Ubuntu Desktop defaults to GNOME.
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose Ubuntu Desktop for GNOME’s overview and standard Ubuntu desktop, or Ubuntu MATE for panels, launchers and a classic menu.
| Your priority | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You want GNOME’s overview and Ubuntu’s standard desktop | Ubuntu Desktop | It ships with GNOME as the default desktop. |
| You want panels, launchers and a classic menu | Ubuntu MATE | MATE is built around that traditional desktop metaphor. |
| You are choosing for an older or modest computer | Try both | Project guidance is not a benchmark for your hardware and workload. |
| You rely on a specific desktop app or accessibility feature | Verify its support before switching | App integration and desktop support can differ. |
Check a specific extension or panel applet by name before switching sessions. GNOME extensions and MATE applets are desktop-specific, so do not assume that a customization will carry over unchanged. If one provides a work-critical control, treat its availability as a requirement rather than a cosmetic preference.
- Open the file manager and connect to any network share you use.
- Find the settings for display scaling, keyboard shortcuts and accessibility.
- Launch your required applications and check their menus, notifications and file associations.
An app absent from a live image may still be available through its documented installation method. For a missing device, consult release-specific hardware notes and test it again after installation.
If neither desktop fits, compare other Ubuntu flavors rather than forcing a choice. Canonical’s flavors page also covers Kubuntu with KDE Plasma and Lubuntu with LXQt. Our Fedora Workstation vs Ubuntu comparison helps when you are deciding whether to use Ubuntu at all.
Adding MATE to existing Ubuntu provides another session, rather than the Ubuntu MATE flavor. Before removing either desktop, review the package manager’s proposed changes. For a related example, see our guide to installing GNOME on Ubuntu.
How to Compare Ubuntu and Ubuntu MATE Before Installing
Compare Ubuntu and Ubuntu MATE by listing required apps, trying each official live image, and repeating the same tasks on both desktops.
Step 1: List your required apps and desktop features
Write down the applications you use each week, plus any browser extensions, desktop add-ons, accessibility controls or keyboard shortcuts you rely on. Check each application’s documentation for the Ubuntu release and installation method it supports. This narrows the comparison to features that affect your work rather than optional software you may never open.
Accessibility is a feature requirement. Test the exact screen reader, magnification, keyboard navigation or contrast mode you rely on in the target release.
Step 2: Try the official images in live sessions
Get the images from the Ubuntu Desktop download page and the Ubuntu MATE download page, then follow each project’s instructions for creating and starting installation media. Choose the live-session option rather than beginning an installation. This lets you try the desktop without first replacing the installed system.
Step 3: Repeat your everyday tasks on both desktops
Use the same display, network, keyboard and pointing device for each session. Open the same apps, adjust the same settings and repeat common window-switching tasks. Also test notifications, file associations and external displays if those are part of your routine.
Add any occasional but important device to the checklist, such as a printer, Bluetooth headset or accessibility control. A live session can show that a device is recognized, but it does not establish long-term battery life or update behavior. Use the release and hardware notes to resolve those questions before moving important work to the new installation.
Review release support and package policy
Compare the exact image versions and their support end dates, then review any package or hardware requirements that remain unresolved. Use release notes and application documentation to resolve anything a desktop trial cannot answer.
Final check: separate preferences from blockers
Compare your notes after each trial instead of relying on the first impression. Record which controls felt familiar and whether an app or device needed extra research.
What to Check Before Switching
Before switching, check release support dates, application compatibility, hardware support, desktop-specific features and your organization’s package policy.
Ubuntu Desktop and Ubuntu MATE publish release details on separate project pages. LTS means long-term support, while interim releases have shorter maintenance periods, so compare the exact version and its published end date. Canonical lists Ubuntu Desktop LTS standard maintenance separately from optional Ubuntu Pro coverage, while third-party applications and other archive components may use their own terms.
| Question | Where to verify | Why check it |
|---|---|---|
| Does my application support this desktop? | The application’s vendor documentation | Desktop integrations and package availability can differ. |
| Will my hardware work? | Live session and the hardware vendor’s support notes | Graphics and wireless support are machine-specific. |
| Does a required feature need GNOME or MATE? | The application’s extension or add-on documentation | Desktop add-ons are built for their respective sessions. |
| Does your organization approve the software source? | Its package policy and the package’s Ubuntu archive component | Support can depend on the package source. |
An application publisher may specify an Ubuntu release, package format or desktop integration. Check its supported installation method before using generic Linux instructions.
When an organization has a software policy, compare the package source with its approved list before changing the installation.
Conclusion: Choose the Desktop You Prefer
Before choosing an image, review the project’s current download and release notes: Ubuntu MATE downloads and Ubuntu Desktop downloads.
FAQ
These answers summarize the differences that affect the choice.
What is the difference between Ubuntu and Ubuntu MATE?
Ubuntu Desktop uses GNOME by default. Ubuntu MATE is an Ubuntu flavor that uses the MATE desktop and selects its own default applications.
Is Ubuntu MATE lighter than Ubuntu?
Ubuntu MATE is described by its project as suitable for modest hardware, but there is no universal speed or memory result. Hardware, drivers, applications and workload affect performance.
Can I install MATE on regular Ubuntu?
MATE can be installed as a desktop on Ubuntu, but adding it does not make the installation identical to Ubuntu MATE’s flavor defaults. It can leave more than one desktop session installed.
Which should I choose, Ubuntu or Ubuntu MATE?
Choose Ubuntu Desktop if you want its GNOME defaults. Choose Ubuntu MATE if you prefer the MATE panels, menus and tools. Try both in a live session and check release support before installing.
Can I use the same applications on both desktops?
Many applications are available for both Ubuntu desktop choices, but the default apps and desktop integrations differ. Check the application’s documentation for its supported Ubuntu release and any GNOME- or MATE-specific features.
Is Ubuntu MATE an official Ubuntu flavor?
Yes. Canonical lists Ubuntu MATE among Ubuntu flavors. The Ubuntu MATE project maintains flavor images with the MATE desktop and its own defaults.