Cinnamon is of course one of the most popular desktop environments. It comes by default only with Linux Mint.
It is an offshoot of the GNOME desktop environment, so the requirement for 3D hardware acceleration is worth remembering here. Although it can handle software rendering, it will be very slow. Cinnamon is a good choice for those who have just switched from Windows, as this shell is the closest to it in appearance. The environment is gentle on resource consumption, making it an ideal candidate for a slightly older machine that can no longer handle Windows.
Since I use Linux Mint every day (both at home and at work), I can say that this shell is a favorite for me in this selection.
