What Is CompTIA A+ Core 1? 220-1201 Format, Domains and Cost

CompTIA A+ Core 1 is the hardware and networking half of the CompTIA A+ certification. The current exam is 220-1201, part of the A+ V15 series, and it tests whether you can work with mobile devices, networks, PC and printer hardware, virtualization and cloud basics, and, above all, troubleshoot hardware and network faults. It is a maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes, and you pass at 675 on a scale of 100 to 900.

The catch is in the first sentence: Core 1 is half. Passing it does not make you A+ certified. You also need Core 2 (220-1202), from the same version, and you can take the two in either order. Each section below gives the short answer on one part of Core 1 and links to the post that covers it in depth.

Does passing Core 1 make you A+ certified?

No. CompTIA A+ is one credential earned through two exams: Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202). Each exam is booked, sat and scored separately, with its own passing score. Core 1 passes at 675. Core 2 has a different mark and a different syllabus, built around operating systems, security, software troubleshooting and operational procedures.

CompTIA says you can take the two exams in any order. What you cannot do is mix versions. In CompTIA's words, "Core 1 and Core 2 exams must be taken from the same version, no mixing allowed." So a pass on 220-1201 pairs with 220-1202, both V15. The older 220-1101/1102 (V14) English exams retired on September 25, 2025, which means anyone starting today is on V15 for both halves.

If you are weighing which half to sit first and how to space them, A+ Core 1 vs Core 2 works through the sequencing question and the budget for both exams.

What is on the CompTIA A+ Core 1 exam?

Here are the Core 1 facts in one table. They come from CompTIA's Core 1 exam page and the official V15 exam objectives document (Version 4.0).

Performance-based questions ask you to do something, such as configure a setting or match components to a task, rather than pick a fact from a list. CompTIA does not say how many of them appear on a given exam.

The score is scaled, so 675 is not a percentage and you cannot convert it into a number of questions you are allowed to miss. How hard is A+ Core 1 goes into what the scaled score means in practice and where candidates tend to lose points.

On retirement, CompTIA lists 220-1201 as retiring "usually three years after launch (estimated 2028)." No successor exam has been announced, so 220-1201 is the exam to prepare for.

How is 220-1201 split across its domains?

The exam objectives split Core 1 into five domains and 27 objectives. The weights tell you roughly what share of the scored exam each domain represents.

In plain terms:

Mobile Devices covers laptop and phone components you might replace, accessories and connection methods, and getting a mobile device onto a network with its apps, sync and device management working.

Networking is ports and protocols, wireless standards and frequency bands, the services networked hosts provide, DNS and DHCP configuration, networking hardware, setting up a small office or home office network, internet connection types, and the hand tools of cabling.

Hardware is the physical PC and its neighbors: displays, cables and connectors, RAM, storage, motherboards and CPUs, power supplies, and printers, from setup through maintenance.

Virtualization and Cloud Computing is the smallest domain, two objectives on virtualization concepts and cloud computing concepts.

Hardware and Network Troubleshooting is the largest, with six objectives covering motherboards, RAM, CPUs and power; drives and RAID; video and displays; mobile devices; networks; and printers.

Notice that Hardware and Troubleshooting together account for 53% of the exam. Add Networking and you are at 76%. Mobile devices and cloud matter, but together they are just under a quarter of the exam. The full walk-through of every objective is in A+ Core 1 domains explained.

Where does the weight of Core 1 really sit?

Domain 5 is not a separate topic to study at the end. It is the rest of the exam turned into scenarios. Every one of its six objectives begins "Given a scenario," and each one draws on knowledge from the earlier domains: you cannot troubleshoot a printer you do not understand, or a network fault without knowing what DHCP and DNS do. So the 28% domain rewards you for having learned Hardware and Networking properly, and it punishes shallow memorization of them. The practical move is to work troubleshooting scenarios alongside each hardware and networking topic as you go, rather than saving Domain 5 for the last week.

One caution: the six-step troubleshooting methodology printed in the objectives document "does not constitute a formal objective or part of the A+ certification exam," in CompTIA's words. Treat it as a habit of thought, not flashcard material.

A Core 1 study plan can be built around this, giving the 28% and 25% domains the most hours. And the best way to feel how scenario questions differ from recall is to try some. The A+ Core 1 practice questions walkthrough works through sample items and explains why each wrong answer is wrong.

How much does A+ Core 1 cost?

The CompTIA A+ voucher costs US$274 per exam. One voucher covers one exam, either Core 1 or Core 2, so the full credential takes two vouchers: US$548 at list price for both exams. That is the U.S. price, and CompTIA prices vary by country.

A few other points worth knowing before you buy:

• A voucher is valid for 12 months from purchase.
• CompTIA also sells a voucher with Retake Assurance for US$359 per exam.
• Retakes are paid. You can retake immediately after a first fail, but you must wait at least 14 calendar days before a third or later attempt, and CompTIA does not offer free re-tests or retake discounts.

Exams are scheduled through CompTIA Central, which hands you off to Pearson VUE for either a test center or an OnVUE online session. Bundles, regional pricing and exam-day logistics are covered in A+ Core 1 exam cost.

Do you need experience before taking Core 1?

There is no eligibility requirement: anyone can buy a voucher and book the exam. CompTIA recommends "12 months of hands-on experience in an IT support specialist job role," which describes the level the questions are pitched at, not who may sit. If you have never seated RAM or swapped a drive, plan more study weeks and get your hands on whatever spare hardware you can find.

A+ is also listed by CompTIA against DoD 8140 work roles, including technical support specialist, system administrator, and cyber defense infrastructure support specialist, and it is accredited to the ISO 17024 standard by ANAB. That listing matters if you are aiming at U.S. defense contract roles. The full rules, including what the experience recommendation means for newcomers, are in A+ Core 1 requirements and renewal.

How long does A+ last, and how do you renew it?

Renewal applies to the A+ credential, not to each core separately. A+ is valid for three years from the date you earn it, that is, once you have passed both cores. To renew through continuing education you need 20 CEUs within the three-year cycle and a CE fee of $75 for the whole three-year period, not per year.

There are also fee-free routes. You can pass the latest release of the A+ exams (not the same exams you were certified on), complete CertMaster CE for A+, or earn a higher CompTIA certification that fully renews A+. Network+ is one of those, along with Security+, Linux+, Cloud+ V3, CySA+, PenTest+ and SecurityX. If Network+ is already your next exam, passing it renews A+ along the way; what the Network+ certification is explains that exam if you are planning ahead.

Where should your Core 1 preparation begin?

Download CompTIA's free Core 1 objectives document before you buy anything else. Pay attention to the verb at the start of each objective: "compare", "explain" and "summarize" mean you must recognize and distinguish, while "given a scenario" means you must apply. That verb tells you how deep to go far better than the topic name does. If you want a single book that follows the objectives one by one, our CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 study guide gives each of the 27 objectives its own short chapter, so you can go straight to a weak objective without reading around it.

Then test yourself early. A practice question you get wrong in week two is worth far more than one you get wrong the night before.

FAQ

How many questions are on A+ Core 1?

A maximum of 90, to be answered in 90 minutes. The mix includes multiple-choice (single and multiple response), drag-and-drop, and performance-based questions. CompTIA does not publish how many of each type appear.

What score do you need to pass 220-1201?

675 on a scale of 100 to 900. It is a scaled score, so it does not translate into a fixed percentage of questions correct. Core 2 has its own separate passing score.

Is CompTIA A+ Core 1 hard?

It is an entry-level exam, but it is broad. The two heaviest domains, Hardware and Hardware and Network Troubleshooting, make up 53% of the exam, and every troubleshooting objective is scenario-based, so recall alone is not enough. CompTIA does not publish a pass rate.

When does 220-1201 retire?

CompTIA lists retirement as usually three years after launch, estimated 2028. No exact date or successor exam has been announced, so 220-1201 remains the Core 1 exam to prepare for.

Looking for a plain-English A+ Core 1 guide? CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 Study Guide covers all 27 objectives in short, objective-numbered chapters, with worked drills for the scenario objectives, a glossary of the acronyms the exam assumes, and 133 practice questions in five domain banks, every answer explained.

Simply Certified is an independent publisher. A+, Network+, Security+, Linux+, Cloud+, CySA+, PenTest+, SecurityX, CertMaster and CompTIA are trademarks of CompTIA, Inc. Our books are independent study material and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by CompTIA.