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CompTIA A+ Core 1 vs Core 2: the difference, and which to take first

By the founder of CertOwl • July 2026 • 3 min read

The CompTIA A+ certification is two separate exams, two separate vouchers, and usually two separate exam days. Nobody tells you this until you're already budgeting for it. So how do the two halves differ, and in what order should you take them?

The split in one table

Core 1 is about what you can touch: RAM, cables, routers, printers, laptop screens. Core 2 is about what you see on the screen: Windows settings and command line tools, macOS and Linux basics, malware removal, security settings, and the soft-skills side of IT like ticketing, documentation and how to talk to a frustrated user.

Notice the passing scores. Core 2 requires 700 while Core 1 requires 675. Don't read too much into the number itself (the scoring is scaled anyway), but plenty of people find Core 2 harder for a different reason: the questions are more scenario driven and less "identify this connector."

Which should you take first?

There's no rule. CompTIA lets you take them in any order. That said, take Core 1 first. Two reasons.

First, the material builds naturally. Core 1 teaches you what the hardware and network are; Core 2 assumes that vocabulary and asks what you'd do about problems running on top of it.

Second, psychology. Core 1 has the slightly lower passing score and more of the material overlaps with things everyday computer users have already seen. Passing your first proctored exam is a huge confidence boost, and momentum matters more than people admit when a certification takes months.

The exception: if you work in software support already and know Windows administration cold but have never opened a PC case, Core 2 first might play to your strengths. You know yourself best.

Can you take both on the same day?

Yes. Testing centers will let you book them back to back, and online testing lets you schedule them the same day too. Some people love getting it done in one exhausting afternoon.

Honest advice: don't, unless your schedule forces it. Ninety minutes of exam focus is draining, and walking into Core 2 mentally fried is how people end up paying for a $265 retake. A one or two week gap between exams lets you do a focused Core 2 sprint after Core 1 is out of your head.

One real constraint to know: both exams must be passed on the same version series to count. You can't combine a pass from the old 220-1101 with a pass on the new 220-1202. Since the old series retired in September 2025 this mostly affects people who passed one exam and then procrastinated. If that's you, check your dates before booking.

Do you get anything for passing just one?

No certification, no. Passing Core 1 alone doesn't make you "half A+ certified" and there's no partial credential to put on LinkedIn. You have to finish both.

What you do get is a score report and the knowledge itself, which is real. But budget your time and money for the full journey from day one: both exams, both vouchers, and a study plan that covers roughly two to four months total if you're starting fresh.

The short version

Take Core 1 first, book Core 2 within a couple of weeks of passing it, and study for them as one continuous project rather than two unrelated exams. The people who treat the A+ as a single mission finish it. The people who "take a break after Core 1" have a strange habit of never coming back.