The CompTIA A+ 220-1201 Core 1 exam is the first of two tests required to earn the A+ certification under the current V15 release, and it carries a passing score of 675 out of 900. Core 1 evaluates five domains — mobile devices, networking, hardware, virtualization and cloud computing, and hardware and network troubleshooting — with troubleshooting weighted highest at 28 percent. The exam runs a maximum of 90 minutes and 90 questions, and you must take Core 1 and Core 2 from the same version with no mixing permitted. Because each domain carries a different weight, the single most impactful study decision is allocating prep hours in proportion to those percentages rather than treating every topic as equally important.
What Core 1 Actually Covers
The A+ Core 1 exam validates foundational IT support skills spanning hardware installation, network configuration, mobile device troubleshooting, and virtualization concepts. It targets candidates entering help desk, IT support specialist, or field service technician roles, and CompTIA classifies it under DoD 8140 approved work roles including technical support specialist and system administrator. Unlike vendor-specific hardware certifications, CompTIA positions A+ as a vendor-neutral credential that maps to real job tasks such as installing RAM and CPUs, configuring SOHO networks, and resolving connectivity problems. The exam includes multiple-choice questions in both single and multiple response formats, drag-and-drop items, and performance-based questions that simulate hands-on scenarios where you might configure a wireless adapter or diagnose a failed power supply. CompTIA recommends 12 months of hands-on experience in a lab or field setting before attempting either Core exam, though the credential is open to anyone who registers through Pearson VUE. The broader IT certification market keeps expanding — Amazon Web Services alone reported more than 1.42 million active certifications as of January 2025 — which makes vendor-neutral entry-level credentials like A+ a practical first step for newcomers building toward specialized tracks.
Five Domains and Their Weights
The official domain breakdown for 220-1201 assigns Mobile Devices 13 percent, Networking 23 percent, Hardware 25 percent, Virtualization and Cloud Computing 11 percent, and Hardware and Network Troubleshooting 28 percent. The table below pairs each domain with its weight and the highest-value topics to master first.
| Domain | Weight | Highest-Value Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mobile Devices | 13% | Laptop hardware, Wi-Fi antennas, USB, Bluetooth, NFC, docking stations |
| 2. Networking | 23% | Ports and protocols, SOHO router setup, IP addressing, cable types |
| 3. Hardware | 25% | RAM and CPU installation, motherboards, power supplies, printers |
| 4. Virtualization and Cloud | 11% | Hypervisors, virtual machines, IaaS, SaaS, PaaS service models |
| 5. Hardware and Network Troubleshooting | 28% | Diagnostic methodology, multimeters, cable testers, loopback plugs |
Troubleshooting alone accounts for 28 percent, which means diagnostic methodology and tool usage deserve more lab time than any other single area. Networking and Hardware together add another 48 percent, so a candidate who masters those three domains already covers 76 percent of the scoring surface. Mobile Devices and Virtualization remain mandatory but reward layered study after the core is solid. This is the same weight-first logic that applies to the CCNA 200-301 exam, where allocating hours by published percentages consistently outperforms topic-by-topic coverage.
Exam Format and Logistics
Core 1 launched on March 25, 2025 as part of the V15 exam series and runs 90 minutes with a maximum of 90 questions. The passing score is 675 on a 900-point scale, and results appear immediately upon completion. The exam is delivered in English, German, and Japanese through Pearson VUE at physical test centers or via online proctoring. A critical scheduling rule: Core 1 and Core 2 must both come from V15 — CompTIA does not allow mixing exam versions across the two tests. The V15 series is estimated to retire around 2028, roughly three years after its launch, at which point a successor version will replace it. For comparison, the Azure Fundamentals AZ-900 certification follows a similar foundational-exam model but never expires once earned, whereas A+ requires passing two exams and recertifying every three years.
Weight-First Study Sequence
Map your preparation to the domain weights rather than studying topics in the order a textbook presents them. The ordered plan below applies the proportional method to the five Core 1 domains.
- Download the official A+ 220-1201 V15 exam objectives from CompTIA and rate yourself strong, adequate, or weak in every domain.
- Allocate study hours by weight — give troubleshooting the largest block at 28 percent, followed by hardware at 25 percent and networking at 23 percent.
- Build hands-on lab time with real or simulated hardware: install RAM, swap CPUs, configure a SOHO router, and run cable continuity tests with a multimeter.
- Drill networking fundamentals daily — ports, protocols, IP addressing, and subnetting — because raw speed here frees minutes for performance-based questions later.
- Run timed, full-length practice exams to build stamina and identify which domains drain the most time per question.
Before booking your test date, cross-check every study resource against the current V15 objectives. Materials written for the previous 1100 series (220-1101) will quietly omit or misrepresent topics that V15 added or reweighted. Validate readiness with a practice test that mirrors the 90-minute format and the performance-based question style, and only schedule when your practice scores consistently clear the 675 threshold.
Sources
- CompTIA — A+ Core 1 Certification V15 (New Version): exam version, launch date, question count, passing score, domain weights, languages, and retirement estimate.
- AWS Certification — Validate AWS Cloud Skills: active certification count as of January 2025.