CPU Utilization is Wrong (2017)

Related recent discussion: "%CPU utilization is a lie".

	▲	dang 2 days ago \| parent [-]
		Thanks! I was just coming here to mention that. Macroexpanded: %CPU utilization is a lie - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45110688 - Sept 2025 (162 comments) Also these past discussions of the OP: CPU Utilization Is Wrong (2017) - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36580006 - July 2023 (57 comments) CPU Utilization Is Wrong - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23827032 - July 2020 (1 comment) CPU Utilization is Wrong - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14301739 - May 2017 (91 comments)

dvh 2 days ago | parent | prev [-]

I always understood it "how many CPU cores would I need so that they all run at 100%"

E.g. if I have 1 core and utilization is 3 then if I had 3 cores they would run exactly at 100%

zamadatix 2 days ago | parent | next [-]

The problem (or really, nuance) comes when you try to define what "run exactly at 100%" means.

	▲	adityaathalye a day ago \| parent [-]
		Yeah, I love the expression the "Flaw of the Averages". Depends on what you're counting, among other things. (Not to mention when you took the samples being averaged).

2 days ago | parent | prev [-]

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