Given the pace of hardware support and improvements these days, it's rather sad Linux Mint 21.3 continues to default to the Linux 5.15 LTS kernel that is the non-HWE default of Ubuntu 22.04 LTS for which the operating system is based. But at least Linux Mint 21.3 EDGE ISOs are being rolled out to make Linux 6.2 easily available for those with newer hardware support requirements.

The forthcoming Linux Mint 21.3, which was released as beta in December , continues to use the Linux 5.15 kernel as the original GA kernel of Ubuntu 22.04 LTS for which the Linux Mint 21 series is derived. Meanwhile Linux 6.6 is the latest upstream stable series at the moment with Linux 6.7 due out next week. Given Linux Mint's focus on being a nice user-friendly desktop Linux distribution, it's sad to see the outdated kernel by default especially much newer kernels are needed for the latest-generation Intel and AMD hardware, among other devices/peripherals needing a newer kernel or offering better performance/features on the newer kernel.

In today's December status update for the Linux Mint project, they shared they'd soon be offering some new "EDGE" ISOs that move forward to Linux 6.2:

"During BETA testing we identified compatibility issues between Linux Mint and new hardware devices (recent AMD graphics but also wireless chipsets and SSD controllers used in Acer laptops). These are solved by upgrading the kernel series from 5.15 to 6.2.

We’ll therefore prepare a new EDGE ISO for Linux Mint 21.3 shipping with a kernel 6.2."

Linux 6.2 is at least better than 5.15 but still well behind upstream. Linux 6.2 is also EOL with Linux 6.1 being last year's LTS series. In any event those wanting to run a fresher kernel can always use the Ubuntu Mainline Kernel PPA on Linux Mint or other Ubuntu-based derivatives for the newest development or stable kernel versions.