CompTIA A+ Core 1 vs Core 2: the difference, and which to take first
By SunTzu, founder of CertOwl • Published • Updated • 4 min read
Quick answer
Core 1 (220-1201) covers hardware, networking and mobile devices; Core 2 (220-1202) covers operating systems, security and procedures. You need both to earn the A+, and most candidates take Core 1 first because its material is more concrete.
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 (220-1201) | Core 2 (220-1202) | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | The physical world: hardware, networks, mobile devices, cloud | The software world: operating systems, security, procedures |
| Questions | up to 90 | up to 90 |
| Time | 90 minutes | 90 minutes |
| Passing score | 675 / 900 | 700 / 900 |
| Feels like | Being a hardware technician | Being a help desk technician |
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.
The passing scores are worth a second look. 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.
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 $274 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 three to six 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.
Test yourself: 3 quick questions
A technician wants to see all of a computer's active network connections and the ports on which applications are "listening." Which tool is most suitable?
netstat lists active TCP/UDP connections, local and remote addresses, and ports in the LISTENING/ESTABLISHED state, which is useful for spotting unexpected connections or busy ports. tracert traces the path, ping tests reachability, and ipconfig shows the IP configuration.
Which cloud characteristic allows resources to be added or removed automatically and quickly according to the current load, so that to the user they appear virtually unlimited?
Rapid elasticity means fast, usually automatic, scaling of resources according to demand. Measured service tracks consumption, resource pooling shares a common pool of resources among customers, and on-demand self-service lets users provision resources themselves without staff involvement.
Through a web portal, a user launches new virtual machines on their own within minutes, without any interaction with the provider's staff. Which cloud characteristic is that?
On-demand self-service allows the user to provision resources themselves, without the provider's staff. Resource pooling shares a common pool of resources, measured service tracks consumption, and broad network access describes availability over the network from various devices.
Score: · Hundreds more with explanations, free in the app: Get CertOwl on the App Store
Frequently asked questions
Can I take both exams on the same day?
You can, but most people split them by a few weeks so each exam gets focused preparation.
Do the two exams have different passing scores?
Yes. Core 1 requires 675 and Core 2 requires 700, both on the 100 to 900 scale.
Is Core 2 harder than Core 1?
Many candidates find it slightly harder: its questions are more scenario driven, and its passing score is higher (700 against 675). The material is not deeper, just less visual, so it punishes memorising without understanding.
Do I get anything for passing just one?
No certification until both are passed, so book the second exam while the material is still fresh.
CertOwl has separate learning paths for Core 1 and Core 2, each broken into 5-minute daily lessons with original practice questions and full exam simulations. Both are free, along with the whole A+ and Network+ tracks.
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