@Emanate Presence
This is what I would do. {I have LM 21.3 installed on this computer}
1. Download Linux Mint 21.3 CINNAMON.
2. Use Balena Etcher to 'burn' LM to a flash disk.
3. When that is finished, shut down computer; leave flash disk attached to computer.
4. Start computer and enter the BIOS section. {While booting up tap F-2 key several times}
Make sure Fast Boot and Secure Boot are disabled.
5. Choose the flash disk to start from when the computer starts up.
6. Re-start computer.
If the computer starts with LM, you can use it as if it were installed. {It will not affect the Windows OS at this juncture.} You can test every part of your computer to make sure it works on Linux Mint 21.3.
Consider this your education period in the world of Linux.
Play with it, do stuff with it, learn how Linux works by doing stuff.
Open one of the apps and see if it works OK.
Open several apps.
Believe me, you will learn a lot about Linux when using it this way.
If you are happy with how it works on your machine, go ahead and install it.
Old Geezer
Tango Charlie