CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) Overview — Format, What’s Tested & How to Prepare
Everything to know before taking CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201): format and timing, who it’s for, skills measured by domain, and a compact study plan mapped to our syllabus and practice.
Exam snapshot
- Certification: CompTIA A+ — Core 1 (220-1201)
- Audience: Help desk/desktop support, field techs, entry-level IT roles, career-switchers, students
- Experience target: 6–12 months hands-on or equivalent labs/projects
- Format: Multiple-choice (single/multi), a few performance-based questions (PBQs)
- Timing / count: Varies by form; plan adequate time for check-in and review
- Credential requirement: You must pass Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202)
Study funnel: Read this Overview → work the Syllabus objective-by-objective → keep the Cheatsheet open for last-mile recall → validate with Practice.
What Core 1 (220-1201) measures
1) Hardware & devices
- PC components (motherboard, CPU, RAM, PSU), storage (HDD/SSD, SATA, M.2/NVMe)
- Peripherals & connectors (USB generations, display standards, Thunderbolt)
- Printers (laser process order; common faults), SOHO devices
2) Mobile devices
- Laptops, tablets, phones; batteries, displays, ports; accessories (Bluetooth, NFC)
- Mobile networking (hotspot, tethering), MDM basics and profiles (awareness)
3) Networking (SOHO focus)
- Ports & protocols, IP basics (DHCP, DNS, APIPA), Wi-Fi standards/security
- Cabling (Cat5e/6/6a, fiber LC/SC), SOHO router setup, VLAN/WPA2/3 practices
4) Virtualization & cloud (client depth)
- Type 1/Type 2 hypervisors; VM resources; snapshots vs backups
- Client cloud usage: storage sync, thin clients, VDI awareness
5) Troubleshooting
- Structured methodology (identify → theory → test → fix → verify → document)
- Safety/ESD; tool pickers (multimeter, cable tester, CLI diagnostics)
Who should take Core 1?
- New or early-career IT professionals targeting help desk/desktop support roles
- Career-switchers building hands-on confidence with hardware/networking basics
- Students in IT programs seeking an industry baseline credential
Readiness checklist
- I can match ports to services (HTTP/HTTPS, SSH, RDP, DNS, DHCP, SMTP/IMAP/POP3).
- I pick the right cable/connector (Cat6 vs Cat6a, LC vs SC, SATA vs M.2 NVMe).
- I know Wi-Fi generations and WPA2/WPA3 setup at SOHO routers.
- I can list laser printer steps in order and fix common print defects.
- I apply the troubleshooting method and choose the least intrusive next step.
Compact 3–4 week plan
Week 1: Hardware & devices → printers → daily 20-question drills
Week 2: Networking (ports, Wi-Fi, SOHO) → mixed sets (hardware + networking)
Week 3: Mobile + virtualization/cloud → PBQ-style practice → review weak areas
Week 4: Two full mocks; convert misses into 2-bullet “rules of thumb”; light re-drills
Exam-day tactics
- First pass fast; flag PBQs/long stems and return later.
- If two answers seem plausible, choose the one that is safer, simpler, and reversible.
- For networking symptoms, check IP/DHCP/DNS before cabling swaps.
- For hardware, confirm power/thermals/seating before deep changes.