Midea
Midea U+ Smart Inverter U-Shaped Window AC (MAW12U1QWT)
$479Cheaper
Released 2023
Best Air Conditioners · head-to-head
Midea U+ Smart Inverter U-Shaped Window AC (MAW12U1QWT) vs Whynter Elite ARC-122DS Dual-Hose Portable AC
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Midea U+ Smart Inverter U-Shaped Window AC (MAW12U1QWT) is cheaper at $479. Every spec and price links to its source.
Which is better: the Midea U+ Smart Inverter U-Shaped Window AC (MAW12U1QWT) or Whynter Elite ARC-122DS Dual-Hose Portable AC?
On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Midea U+ Smart Inverter U-Shaped Window AC (MAW12U1QWT) is the cheaper at $479.
See Midea U+ Smart Inverter U-Shaped Window AC (MAW12U1QWT) on Amazon See Whynter Elite ARC-122DS Dual-Hose Portable AC on Amazon
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices verified at capture; live price may differ.
Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Midea U+ Smart Inverter U-Shaped Window AC (MAW12U1QWT) |  Whynter Elite ARC-122DS Dual-Hose Portable AC |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $479 | $549 Best Buy current price ($549.99) |
| Brand | Midea | Whynter |
| Released | 2023 | — |
| Type | window | portable |
| Btu | 12000 BTU | 7000 BTU (DOE/SACC); 12000 BTU ASHRAE |
| Coverage (sq ft) | 550 | 400 |
| Noise dba | 32 | 52 |
| Smart Wi-Fi | Yes | No |
| Energy star | Yes | No |
| Inverter | Yes | No |
| Ceer | 15.2 | — |
Sources — Midea U+ Smart Inverter U-Shaped Window AC (MAW12U1QWT): midea.com (verified 2026-06-28). Whynter Elite ARC-122DS Dual-Hose Portable AC: sylvane.com (verified 2026-06-15).
What's the difference between the Midea U+ Smart Inverter U-Shaped Window AC (MAW12U1QWT) and Whynter Elite ARC-122DS Dual-Hose Portable AC?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (7 of 8). Matching specs are omitted.
- Type: Midea U+ Smart Inverter U-Shaped Window AC (MAW12U1QWT) window vs Whynter Elite ARC-122DS Dual-Hose Portable AC portable
- Btu: Midea U+ Smart Inverter U-Shaped Window AC (MAW12U1QWT) 12000 BTU vs Whynter Elite ARC-122DS Dual-Hose Portable AC 7000 BTU (DOE/SACC); 12000 BTU ASHRAE
- Coverage (sq ft): Midea U+ Smart Inverter U-Shaped Window AC (MAW12U1QWT) 550 vs Whynter Elite ARC-122DS Dual-Hose Portable AC 400
- Noise dba: Midea U+ Smart Inverter U-Shaped Window AC (MAW12U1QWT) 32 vs Whynter Elite ARC-122DS Dual-Hose Portable AC 52
- Smart Wi-Fi: Midea U+ Smart Inverter U-Shaped Window AC (MAW12U1QWT) true vs Whynter Elite ARC-122DS Dual-Hose Portable AC false
- Energy star: Midea U+ Smart Inverter U-Shaped Window AC (MAW12U1QWT) true vs Whynter Elite ARC-122DS Dual-Hose Portable AC false
- Inverter: Midea U+ Smart Inverter U-Shaped Window AC (MAW12U1QWT) true vs Whynter Elite ARC-122DS Dual-Hose Portable AC false
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Midea U+ Smart Inverter U-Shaped Window AC (MAW12U1QWT)
No sourced tester review yet.
Whynter Elite ARC-122DS Dual-Hose Portable AC
Two whitelisted testers cover this exact model. Wirecutter (republished on Engadget, 2018 hands-on lab test of eight finalists) names the Whynter Elite ARC-122DS its top pick, praising its quiet dual-hose operation and lowest-in-field infiltration draw. Reviewed's 2026 guide (updated 2025-06-23) states the ARC-122DS 'rose to the top as the best portable air conditioner' for cooling, room coverage, and value. Neither accessible page printed a per-model numeric lab measurement for the ARC-122DS itself. (2 sourced reviews, 2 lab-tested.)
Praised: Strong cooling / top overall pick among tested portable ACs; Quiet for a dual-hose unit (some of the quietest decibel figures); Dual-hose efficiency; drew the least infiltration air of the field.
Flagged: Wirecutter stresses portable ACs are inherently inefficient and can struggle in very hot weather, even this top pick; Cooling performance in this category is unusually hard to measure objectively (Wirecutter never developed a reliable per-model cooling metric); No numeric per-model lab measurement was printed for the ARC-122DS on either accessible page.