ACR122U vs ACR1252U vs ACR1552U: Which ACS NFC Reader Should You Buy?

Comparing ACS’s three most common NFC readers — ACR122U, ACR1252U, and ACR1552U — on standards, speed, certification and OS support to help you pick the right one.

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ACS has shipped three generations of USB NFC reader that customers frequently confuse: the ACR122U, the ACR1252U, and the ACR1552U. They look similar, share a lot of DNA, and all show up in the same searches — but they’re not interchangeable. Here’s the actual difference.

The short version

• ACR122U — the original, widely-deployed NFC reader. End-of-life. Fine for maintaining existing installs; not recommended for new ones.
• ACR1252U — NFC Forum–certified successor, added a SAM slot and all three NFC modes (reader/writer, card emulation, peer-to-peer).
• ACR1552U — the newest of the three, adds ISO/IEC 15693 vicinity-card support and the highest read/write speed.

Spec-by-spec

Feature	ACR122U	ACR1252U	ACR1552U
Status	End-of-life	Current	Current
Standards	ISO 14443 A/B, ISO 18092	ISO 14443 A/B, ISO 18092	ISO 14443 A/B, ISO 15693, ISO 18092, ISO 21481
Cards	MIFARE, FeliCa	MIFARE, FeliCa	MIFARE, FeliCa, + ISO 15693 cards (SRI/SRIX, Picopass, Topaz, etc.)
NFC Forum certified	No	Yes	Not stated
NFC modes	Reader/writer only	Reader/writer, card emulation, peer-to-peer	Reader/writer, card emulation, keyboard emulation
Read/write speed	Up to 424 kbps	Up to 424 kbps	Up to 848 kbps
Read range	Up to 50 mm	Up to 50 mm	Up to 70 mm
SAM slot	Optional module form	Yes, built-in	Yes, built-in
Dimensions / weight	98×65×12.8mm, 70g	98×65×12.8mm, 81g	98×65×12.8mm, 79g
OS support	Win/Mac/Linux/Android	Win/Mac/Linux/Android	Win/Mac/Linux/Android
SDK	Java, Delphi, VB, C++, C#	—	CT-API / PC/SC-based

Which one should you actually buy?

Buying new, no special requirements? ACR1552U — it’s the current, fully supported model with the broadest card compatibility and fastest throughput.

Need NFC Forum certification specifically (e.g., for a smart-poster or peer-to-peer NFC application that requires it)? ACR1252U — it’s the only one of the three with that certification.

Maintaining an existing ACR122U fleet? Keep using genuine ACR122U stock for now, but plan future expansion around the ACR1552U — see our full ACR122U vs ACR1552U comparison.

Need ISO 15693 vicinity cards (library systems, some access control and inventory tags)? Only the ACR1552U supports this — neither of the other two do.

Quick answers

Is the ACR1252U also end-of-life? No — as far as we’ve confirmed, only the ACR122U carries that status among these three.

Can I mix these readers in one deployment? Generally yes for PC/SC-based applications, since all three speak PC/SC — but re-test any code that depends on reader-specific features (like the ACR122U’s specific SDK tools) before mixing hardware.

Which is cheapest? Pricing varies by supplier and quantity — contact BSD InfoTech for current pricing on all three.

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Not sure which reader fits your application? Get in touch — we supply all three across India, including bulk orders.