What’s the difference between portable air conditioners and split system air conditioners?

There’s no doubt that an air conditioning unit—no matter the type—will improve comfort in your home, office, or workspace.

With so many options available, two of the most cost-effective choices are portable vs split system air conditioners.
Both are versatile and budget-friendly, but choosing the right one depends on your space, needs, and preferences.

To help you decide, we’ll compare portable vs split system units and explore the features, benefits, and ideal use cases for each.

Owning or renting your Adelaide home an want air conditioning?

If you’re renting your home, the portable vs split system debate often comes down to one practical factor—installation.

A split system requires permanent installation, including drilling into walls, which usually needs landlord approval.
Unless your landlord agrees and you’re willing to leave the unit behind, a split system may not be an option.

In this case, a portable air conditioner is likely your best (and only) choice for flexible, renter-friendly cooling.
Portable units can move with you from home to home, making them ideal for renters needing short-term climate control.

Are you cooling one space or many?

Split system air conditioners are perfect if you are looking to cool one room and the adjacent rooms to the main room. As they are fixed, they often don’t allow for the flexibility of moving around your home. That being said, a portable unit as the name suggests can be moved from your lounge room, study or bedroom relatively easy. Most units are on castors and simply require a window where the can pipe the hot air out.

What’s that noise?

When putting a portable or split system air conditioners into a room, there is no question that a portable unit will be quite loud. These units have everything including the fan, the condenser and the head unit all in one neat package – so all the noise is in one package as well. A split system air conditioner however has a condenser placed outside on the external walls of your home. Therefore, the noise is simply the cool air being circulated around your home. For hot nights, your portable unit may keep you cool, but it may also keep you awake with all the noise!

Do you have space considerations?

The portable units can be moved around anywhere around the home. However, they also take floor space and can be quite large in small houses or rooms.

The split system air conditioners have a head unit that is placed high on an internal wall, making it almost invisible. This is a key consideration should you be entertaining or have limited floor space. In addition to this, your portable units need to be connected directly to the power, not by an extension cord, so if you don’t have a power point close to a window or where you are trying to cool, you may have some issues.

What air conditioning features are you looking for?

The more expensive the unit, the more features it will have – this is a fact of life. There are reverse cycle portable and split system air conditioners, allowing for heating and cooling of your home. However, the portable units have a limited range of functions from there such as temperature selections, timers and isolating options. A split system air conditioner can have options such as Wi-Fi control, advanced self-cleaning, air filtering and low noise models, which can add great value to the quality of your comfort.

Cost of air conditioning your property

When most people consider air conditioning units, cost becomes a major factor in their final decision-making process.

Portable units start from around $500, making them the most cost-effective solution with no installation required.

In contrast, a split system air conditioner requires professional installation by a licensed and qualified air conditioning technician.

Installation for split systems usually adds $300–$500 to your total cost, depending on your home’s layout and wall access.

Costs may rise depending on the unit size, installation complexity, and the structure of your home or apartment.

The phrase “horses for courses” applies well when choosing between portable vs split system air conditioning options.

If you want a quiet, permanent, and feature-rich system, then a split system is the best option for you.

If you prefer a temporary, affordable, and flexible solution, a portable unit will better suit your lifestyle and space.

The smartest move before purchasing is to speak with experienced professionals who can recommend the best air conditioning solution.

Rite Price Heating & Cooling offers a wide range—from ducted systems to portable units and everything in between.

To learn more about air conditioning options in Adelaide, contact Rite Price Heating & Cooling and speak with our expert team.

For more detailed information on split systems, visit our dedicated split systems page through the link provided.