I'm going to use this entry to list all the distros I'm going to try and the criteria I'm going to use to help me evaluate them. This entry will, therefore, be organic..I'll edit, update, change as I progress to refine the process and allow my experiences to feedback into the assessment.
The Criteria
Ease of installation
Usability of Desktop
Ease of package/software installs
Configuration
Installing Samba/CIFS/mounting network drives
Installing updating proprietary (nVidia drivers)
Music and Video playback
Wine (World of Warcraft)
Steam (XCOM)
The Distro\DE List (this list will undoubted change in length as I discover new things):
Ubuntu Unity
Deepin Linux
elementary Pantheon
Semplice Vera
4MLinux JWM
openSUSE KDE
Mageia 2 KDE
Chakra KDE
Kubuntu KDE
Scientific GNOME and KDE
Fedora GNOME
Ubuntu GNOME
Manjaro Xfce and KDE
Linux Lite Xfce
Linux Mint Xfce, MATE and Cinnamon
Siduction KDE SC, Xfce, LXDE, LXQt, GNOME and Cinnamon
LXLE LXDE
Simplicity Linux LXDE
Bodhi Linux Enlightenment
Salix Fluxbox, KDE, MATE, Openbox, Ratpoison, Xfce
WattOS LXDE, MATE, Openbox