CompTIA · 2026 Edition
A complete preparation guide written by CompTIA-certified engineers. Covers the exam format,all 39 blueprint domains, a week-by-week study plan, and proven tips for passing first time.
3–5 months
Prep time
Beginner
Difficulty
90
Exam questions
675/1000
Pass mark
Exam code
220-1201
Full name
CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201)
Vendor
CompTIA
Duration
90 minutes
Questions
90 items
Passing score
675/1000 (scaled)
Domains covered
39 blueprint domains
Recommended experience
No formal prerequisites; basic familiarity with computers is helpful but not required
Typical prep time
3–5 months
CompTIA A+ is the most widely recognised entry-level IT certification globally — often the first credential listed as required or preferred for help desk, IT support, and desktop technician roles. 220-1201 is the hardware and networking half of the two-exam requirement.
Job roles this opens
Official CompTIA blueprint weights — study time should roughly match these percentages.
Weeks 1–3
Hardware: PC components, RAM types, storage (HDD/SSD/NVMe), expansion cards
Tip: Memorise the connector types: SATA, M.2 (B-key vs M-key), PCIe slot sizes (x1, x4, x8, x16). Questions include photos of ports and connectors — use flashcards with images, not just text descriptions.
Weeks 4–6
Mobile Devices: laptops, tablets, smartphones — hardware and connectivity
Tip: Know the mobile connector types cold: USB-A, USB-C, Lightning, Micro-USB, and which devices use each. Also know wireless standards: Bluetooth versions, Wi-Fi 5 vs Wi-Fi 6, and NFC vs RFID.
Weeks 7–9
Networking: IP addressing, TCP/IP fundamentals, network hardware, troubleshooting
Tip: Hardware and Network Troubleshooting carries 28% of Core 1 — it is the single heaviest domain. Prioritise troubleshooting methodology, cable testers, loopback plugs, and how to isolate hardware faults.
Weeks 10–12
Virtualisation, Cloud Computing, and Hardware & Network Troubleshooting practice
Tip: Cloud models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, public, private, hybrid) are tested at a conceptual level. Know the shared responsibility model — A+ questions are not deep on cloud but the vocabulary is expected.
Final 2 weeks
Full practice exams and weak-area review
Tip: 220-1201 has 90 minutes for up to 90 questions — that is exactly 1 minute per question. You will have performance-based questions (PBQs) that take 3–5 minutes each. Flag them on first pass and return at the end.
RAM types are heavily tested: DDR4 vs DDR5 pin counts (288-pin vs 288-pin same form factor but different notch), DIMM vs SO-DIMM sizes, and what ECC RAM does and when it is used.
Power supply connectors: 24-pin ATX motherboard, 8-pin EPS CPU, 6/8-pin PCIe GPU, SATA power (15-pin), Molex (4-pin legacy). A question showing a connector image and asking what it connects to is extremely common.
CPU socket types by vendor: Intel LGA (land grid array — pins on motherboard), AMD PGA/AM5 (pin grid array — pins on CPU or LGA AM5). Know that you cannot mix socket types and that cooler compatibility is socket-specific.
Laser printers follow a 7-step imaging process: Processing → Charging → Exposing → Developing → Transferring → Fusing → Cleaning. These steps appear in A+ exam questions about print quality problems.
The 220-1201 exam and 220-1202 exam must both be passed to earn the A+ certification — they are separate bookings. You can sit them in either order, but most candidates find 1201 (hardware) more intuitive to study first.
Apply everything in this guide with adaptive practice questions, detailed answer explanations, and domain analytics.