Suprema
South Korea's Suprema started with fingerprint sensors and matching algorithms and is still biometrics-first. BioStation 3, BioEntry W3 and FaceStation F2 terminals are managed with BioStar X, launched in November 2025. The older BioStar 2 is no longer sold and gets security fixes until 31 July 2029.
- Headquarters
- South Korea
- Positioning
- Mid-marketEnterprise
- Official website
- www.supremainc.com
Who it suits
Server rooms, cash rooms and records rooms that need card plus fingerprint or face before the door opens.
Overview
Who Suprema is
Suprema is a South Korean company that started with fingerprint sensors and matching algorithms and is still biometrics-first. Several other access control makers use Suprema readers or modules inside their own systems. The range covers door terminals, controllers and management software.
The devices you will meet
- BioStation 3: a face terminal with a screen that also reads cards and QR codes, suited to main entrances and time attendance.
- BioEntry W3: a compact face reader with an on-board AI chip (NPU), designed for outdoor mounting.
- FaceStation F2: face and fingerprint in one unit, using infrared cameras to reject photos and other fakes.
- X-Station 2: a card and QR reader that can add fingerprint or face, depending on the model.
- CoreStation: a centralized door controller for systems with many doors.
Software: from BioStar 2 to BioStar X
For years these devices were managed with BioStar 2. In November 2025 Suprema launched BioStar X, a new platform that combines access control with AI video: site maps, alarms, access logs, and detection of intrusion, tailgating and falls. BioStar X installs on an on-premises Windows server and still supports many older devices such as BioStation 2 and BioEntry W2.
BioStar 2 reached end of sale on 31 July 2026 and gets security fixes until 31 July 2029. The BioStar 2 cloud feature was already switched off in March 2026.
Who it suits
Suprema fits doors where accuracy matters, such as server rooms, cash rooms and pharmacies, using card plus face or fingerprint. It costs more than a basic time clock, but less than the enterprise access systems from American or European makers.
Strengths
- Biometric sensors and matching are the company's own core product, with anti-spoofing that rejects printed photos and phone videos.
- Two-factor rules per door, such as card plus face for the server room and face only for the general entrance.
- BioStar X still supports many older devices, so you can move the software forward without replacing every terminal at once.
- Open APIs and integrations with several other access control and VMS platforms make it a good way to add biometrics to an existing system.
Things to know before choosing
- BioStar 2 is past end of sale. Moving to BioStar X needs new licences under a different policy, and BioStar 2 must first be updated to its latest version. Budget for it well before 2029.
- Anyone who relied on the BioStar 2 cloud feature for remote access needs a VPN or another route, because that service has been shut down.
- Hardware costs more than a basic time clock and fewer spares sit on local shelves. For a multi-door system, keep at least one spare terminal in Laos.
- The AI video features in BioStar X are new. If you already run a VMS, test first and decide which jobs stay in the VMS and which move to BioStar X.
Using it in Laos
Suprema hardware reaches Laos through distributors in Thailand. Popular models such as BioStation 3 are usually in stock; specialist models may have to be ordered. Warranty claims go through the distributor or installer, so keep a record of every serial number.
What we recommend:
- Power: CoreStation controllers, locks and terminals need battery backup and surge protection. Decide whether the server room door locks or releases when power fails.
- Light: face terminals at glass entrances or outdoors must not face direct sunlight.
- Network: keep the devices on their own VLAN and update firmware on a schedule.
- Skills: engineers who know BioStar are still few in Laos. Have the installer train your IT staff to add and remove users themselves.
Sectors that fit: banks, hospitals, server rooms of larger organizations, and valuables stores at mines.
Compared with alternatives
ZKTeco costs less and suits time attendance for large workforces or ordinary doors. HID Global is strongest in encrypted and mobile credentials, and works alongside Suprema terminals that read HID cards. If your cameras are all Hikvision and you want doors in the same HikCentral, Hikvision's own terminals are an option.
Product lines
- BioStar X
- BioStation 3
- BioEntry W3
- FaceStation F2
- X-Station 2
- CoreStation
Solutions that use this brand
FAQ
We run BioStar 2. Do we have to move to BioStar X now?
Not immediately. BioStar 2 still gets security fixes until 31 July 2029. Do update to the latest BioStar 2 version now, check that every terminal model is on the BioStar X supported list, and get a quotation for BioStar X licences so it can go into the budget.
Face or fingerprint: which suits our staff?
For busy offices where you want to avoid touch, face is faster. Fingerprint still works well for small rooms where people wear hard hats or masks. For critical rooms, card plus face or fingerprint is the safest combination.
Can Suprema terminals read the cards we already use?
It depends on the terminal model and card type. Many models read 125 kHz, MIFARE and DESFire cards, and some read HID iCLASS or Seos. Send us a sample card to test before you order.
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