Here are the three best ways to bridge the gap.
If your MKV videos play but experience lag, choppy frames, or cause your CPU usage to spike to 100%, your system is using "software decoding." You need to force your Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) to handle the heavy lifting.
The easiest and most robust way to play almost any video file on Linux—including HEVC MKV files—is by installing . VLC comes with its own internal library of codecs, meaning it doesn't rely on the system's underlying media framework to play files. How to Install VLC: install hevc codec for mkv video on linux mint link
sudo apt install smplayer -y
I can provide targeted terminal commands to fix your specific system setup. Share public link Here are the three best ways to bridge the gap
This guide provides a comprehensive, step-by-step walkthrough to install the HEVC codec on Linux Mint and ensure seamless playback for all your MKV media files. Understanding HEVC and MKV
Alternatively, search for and install that package. Install via the Terminal VLC comes with its own internal library of
Multimedia codecs — Linux Mint Installation Guide documentation