The only guide I linked was how to make a bootable USB drive. That should be OK for most bootable discs, let alone Linux based ones. I take it you decided not to use virtualbox? If you are only learning there is no reason not to really.
Linux mint comes in a variety of flavours corresponding to what desktop environment they use by default, and some other versions to dodge software patent issues if you are unfortunate enough to be somewhere that believes in them (mainly the US and Japan) and want to be all above board. The only real differences will be in the size of the iso as for the most part you can install whatever desktop environment you like on linux (you get to choose at logon time), some programs are designed to work with one DE or another but for the most part it is all good and you can install another and try that if you want. Likewise if you have a program designed to use one or the other then you can usually just install the libraries for that other desktop environment and call it a day.
For my money there are three main classes beyond command line (in Linux world it tends to be called a terminal but few will take you to task over that) and network/web/browser based
1) The really crazy lightweight stuff. Fluxbox, enlightenment and similar such things. You tend to see these on minimalist machines. Gets it done and can still launch a normal web browser so some use these.
2) The lightweight stuff. XFCE is the most well known of these, though LXDE is hardly unknown. I quite like XFCE really and it performs as a desktop should where some of the really lightweight stuff can come unstuck with what I consider somewhat basic tasks and windows also has available by default.
3) The general and heavyweight stuff. The classic two are KDE and Gnome, both are also noted for almost being operating systems within themselves (they will have their own browsers, office suites, email and other programs). They have since been forked in various forms to get MATE and Cinnamon, Ubuntu also does its own thing these days with unity.
Speed wise there is not a lot in it if you are running it on a reasonably powerful machine, however what still works with Linux is reasonably impressive for some -- I have a late stage celeron laptop on my bed with 2 gigs of RAM, watches youtube and does forums and email just fine along with being a nice book reader. The machine I am typing this on has two screens, also 2 gigs of memory and a middling laptop core2 processor, though I did stick a nice SSD in it. It has all my email, a browser with a few hundred tabs, chat programs some files, did have an image editor open and plays 1080p video if I need it to.
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