Air conditioners come in various shapes and sizes, ranging from complicated HVAC systems to portable AC units. No matter the type of AC you're considering, they are all further bifurcated into inverter and non-inverter varieties. The compressor in a non-inverter AC operates at a fixed speed, which forces it to run at maximum power until the desired temperature is attained. Inverter ACs, on the other hand, can vary compressor speed and power. Once the temperature setpoint is reached, an onboard microcontroller significantly reduces the compressor power and runs it at lower speeds to maintain a steady temperature.