Summer is finally here, and with it, temperatures are rising rapidly. Office spaces, among others, heat up quickly. Our tech author Jan Hartmayer knows the problem and regularly finds himself in a private sauna thanks to his computer.
My office is quite small at about 10 square meters and has to accommodate all my gaming and tech equipment. Additionally, the room only has one window and is quite full due to two crowded desks.
This is not a problem for me in winter and my hardware, but in summer, it causes the temperatures in my small room to rise quickly. This situation is further exacerbated by two high-performance gaming PCs with an RTX 40 and 5090.
Even with an open window and cross ventilation, I have about 25 degrees in the room in summer, even at night! During the day, when using my computer, the room quickly turns into my own steamer, and I become a roasted chicken. But there was a solution to my problem: an air conditioner needs to be acquired. I just had to find the right device.
The Dilemma of Choice
My research on air conditioners ultimately led me to portable split devices, which are ideal for my purposes. In short, these consist of two large boxes, where one device is usually attached to the outer wall of a window, while the other stands inside the room connected by a hose. This directly transports warm air from the inside to the outside.
But I am not alone with the problem. A Reddit user also had issues with heat buildup in his computer and quickly assembled his own exhaust system.
Compared to popular monoblock units, split units are significantly more efficient and quieter due to the two blocks. Their major disadvantage is the high entry price. Nevertheless, I decided on the Midea Porta-Split.
It cost about 900 euros on sale, while monoblock units are available from around 200 euros. In addition, I cannot have a classic split system installed in my apartment since I live in a rented place.
In rental apartments, it may be advisable to get the landlord’s consent before purchasing an air conditioner.
Expensive but Worth It
Once installed, the portable air conditioner now runs on hot days until I reach a constant room temperature of about 22 degrees. The unit manages to cool my office without issues, even during hours of gaming sessions.
Another disadvantage is the additional power consumption: according to the app display, I consume about 0.30 – 0.8 kWh, depending on the setting and previous indoor temperature. This means with about 6 – 8 hours of operation a day, I consume approximately 6.4 kilowatt-hours of electricity. Depending on the electricity tariff, this amounts to about 0.40 euros per kWh or around 2.56 euros a day and approximately 76 euros a month.
I am very satisfied, no longer sitting in my own sauna like a roasted chicken, and can relax while gaming, no matter how warm it gets outside. As a nice bonus, my computer cools down more easily and the fans are quieter. Colleague Benedikt Schlotmann is also concerned about the temperatures in his PC but has some tricks up his sleeve: 8 tips to keep your gaming PC cool in summer and make it faster.
How warm is it for you when you game? Can you stand it in the room when the PC is running for hours? When is it too warm? Let us know in the comments!
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