They are really a quite simple machine.
Air to air exchanger vs dehumidifier.
In our climate zone the best equipment for ventilating your home and dehumidifying indoor air is a whole house dehumidifier with positive pressure from fresh outdoor air.
In energy use dehumidifier vs air conditioner the debate is not so all encompassing because there are many types of air conditioners and dehumidifiers.
Having your ac on for 24 7 will definitely leady to a higher power bill.
I would recommend not.
The heat exchanger is not 100 effective so there is some sensible cooling from the sd 12 in addition to the dehumidification.
You will want to run a dehumidifier in the summer because if you bring air in from outside it will contain humidity possibly more than what is already in the basement.
Dehumidifier vs air conditioner energy use.
Cooling dehumidifier heat exchanger main features finned tube heat exchanger type for dehumidification of air by means of condensation by using ice water or other cooling media flowing through the heat exchanger tubes followed by a demister and re heater steam or hot water to heat up the air above the dew point.
A dehumidifier is a machine that is used to suck that moisture out of the air with the main goal of drying the air in your home.