CompTIA A+: ten practical articles
Each article solves one real problem, from application to renewal, and points to the exact chapter of CredenTrek For CompTIA A+ that carries it further. Facts are checked against CompTIA documents.
- 01Decide · 6 min read
A+ before you pay for two exams: read the adverts, then answer four questions
A+ needs two exams, so test the fit first. Read live help desk adverts, check what BLS pay figures really show, and answer four honest questions.
- 02Decide · 6 min read
A+ Core 1 or Core 2 first: three ways to choose your order
CompTIA lets you take A+ Core 1 and Core 2 in any order, provided both come from the same version. Choose by interest, by job or by course.
- 03Decide and apply · 6 min read
A+ V15: audit your study material before you buy or keep it
V15 launched on 25 March 2025 and V14 retired on 25 September 2025. Check exam codes, then see what V15 adds: AI basics, cloud tools and equal security weight.
- 04Prepare · 6 min read
A+ Core 1: the biggest domain is not hardware, and how to split 70 hours
In Core 1 (220-1201), hardware and network troubleshooting weighs 28% and hardware 25%. See the five domains and a 70-hour split with a fault-log habit.
- 05Prepare · 6 min read
A+ Core 2: security weighs as much as Windows, so learn the removal order
In Core 2 (220-1202), security and operating systems each carry 28%. Learn the malware removal order, the AI data rule and a 70-hour split.
- 06Prepare · 7 min read
A+ study plan: 140 hours, two cores and one calendar you can defend
Plan 60 to 90 hours per core, then lay out two exams on one calendar. A worked case starts on 12 October 2026 and ends on 1 February 2027.
- 07Prepare · 6 min read
A+ home lab from spare parts: what to gather, what to break, what to write down
An old computer, a spare drive and a home router are enough for an A+ lab. Add Windows and Linux VMs, create faults on purpose and log each one.
- 08Book and sit · 6 min read
A+ costs: two vouchers, four outcomes and how the retake clock runs
A+ needs two vouchers, one per core, and retakes are paid in full. Count vouchers for four outcomes and plan a budget before you book Core 1.
- 09Book and sit · 6 min read
A+ exam day, twice: the ID check, the same-day result and a session that fails
Sit two A+ exams cleanly. Bring two matching IDs, expect a result at the end of each core and know what to do if your session fails mid-exam.
- 10Leverage · 6 min read
Keep your A+: 20 CEUs, three years and the next credential worth taking
A+ renews every three years with 20 CEUs, about seven a year. Plan the calendar, know the routes and pick a next credential by direction.