What do the load average numbers, such as 6-4-2, mean for a 6-core system?

The load average numbers, for example "6-4-2", show the average system load over the last 1, 5, and 15 minutes respectively.

This load is the average number of processes that are either running on the CPU or waiting in the queue.

If you have 6 cores, then:

• A value of 6 means that on average, over the last minute, there were as many processes as cores — the system was fully loaded.
• A value of 4 over 5 minutes indicates a load below the number of cores, meaning the system is not overloaded.
• A value of 2 over 15 minutes is even lower, indicating less load.

Interpretation:

• If the load average is approximately equal to the number of cores, the CPUs are 100% loaded.
• If the load average is significantly higher than the number of cores, processes are waiting in the queue, and performance degradation may occur.
• If the load average is below the number of cores, the system has spare capacity.

Example: with 6 cores, a load average of 6-4-2 indicates that in the last minute, the system was fully loaded, but over 5 and 15 minutes, the load was lower, which is usually normal.