Load Average Interpretation Calculator

Work out load average interpretation instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Load Average Interpretation Calculator

Linux load average counts processes both running and in uninterruptible sleep, so it mixes CPU demand with disk I/O wait — a load of 12 on 8 cores may mean CPU saturation or a slow disk. Dividing by core count normalises it, and separating the I/O wait contribution is what tells you which resource to fix.

Formula

Load normalisation

load per core = load average / cores; I/O contribution ~ load x I/O wait share; CPU contribution = load - I/O contribution

Worked example

With the default values below, Load Average Interpretation Calculator returns Load per core of 1.55. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

1-minute load averageminimum 0: 12.4
CPU coresminimum 1: 8
CPU time in I/O waitaccepts 0–100 %: 22 %
Runnable processesminimum 0: 9

Results

Load per core: 1.55
Load attributable to I/O wait: 2.73
Load attributable to CPU demand: 9.67
Interpretation: Oversubscribed - processes are waiting; run queue of 9 against 8 cores

Step by step

1Values used
2Load normalisation
3Load per core= 1.55
4Load attributable to I/O wait= 2.73
5Load attributable to CPU demand= 9.67
6Interpretation= Oversubscribed - processes are waiting; run queue of 9 against 8 cores

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 2 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is load above the core count always bad?

Not necessarily. A batch system running at 1.5 per core is efficiently utilised, while an interactive service at 1.2 per core already has visible latency.

Why does Linux count I/O wait in load?

Historical definition. It makes load a measure of total system demand rather than CPU demand, which is why pressure stall information was added as a clearer signal.