Both air conditioners and dehumidifiers are built on heat pumps. They both dehumidify in the same way: water condenses on a coil and drains away. But an AC unit pumps the extracted heat outside, and a dehumidifier pumps it back inside. When it's hot and humid, it wouldn't make sense to forgo the opportunity to pump heat outside.
A better solution is to get some variation of a two-stage air conditioner. Instead of a compressor that's either off or on, these have a compressor that can run at two speeds. Most of the time, it runs at the lower speed and behaves like an AC that is undersized, runs longer, and dehumidifies well. But when it gets really hot, it goes up to full speed so it can the temperature down. Compared to a single-stage AC, it costs more, but it's more energy-efficient and quieter and more comfortable because of smaller temperature swings.
These days they also variable-speed air conditioners that can adjust in tiny increments and run the compressor at almost any speed, so they are kind of the next generation beyond two-stage. They more or less run continuously, adjusting their power level instead of having an on/off duty cycle. It costs more than a two-stage, but it is even more efficient, quieter, and comfortable.
Both air conditioners and dehumidifiers are built on heat pumps. They both dehumidify in the same way: water condenses on a coil and drains away. But an AC unit pumps the extracted heat outside, and a dehumidifier pumps it back inside. When it's hot and humid, it wouldn't make sense to forgo the opportunity to pump heat outside.
A better solution is to get some variation of a two-stage air conditioner. Instead of a compressor that's either off or on, these have a compressor that can run at two speeds. Most of the time, it runs at the lower speed and behaves like an AC that is undersized, runs longer, and dehumidifies well. But when it gets really hot, it goes up to full speed so it can the temperature down. Compared to a single-stage AC, it costs more, but it's more energy-efficient and quieter and more comfortable because of smaller temperature swings.
These days they also variable-speed air conditioners that can adjust in tiny increments and run the compressor at almost any speed, so they are kind of the next generation beyond two-stage. They more or less run continuously, adjusting their power level instead of having an on/off duty cycle. It costs more than a two-stage, but it is even more efficient, quieter, and comfortable.