I also moved from Ubuntu to Mint, and from GNOME to MATE. Been very happy.

The only time I got annoyed at Mint was when they recently changed the default mouse pointer into something that looks like a deformed marshmallow. So instead of a pixel at the end of the pointer, we get a fat finger. I don't understand the UX mentality that thought that this was a good idea.

It's easy enough to change, but every now and then, something clobbers my UI settings and I have to remember how to change it back to the mouse pointer that actually works as a pointer.