system monitor

Computer health display

A system monitor is software or hardware that tracks a computer's performance and resource usage—CPU load, memory consumption, disk activity, network traffic.

Operating systems include basic monitors; dedicated tools offer more detail.

System administrators use them to diagnose slowdowns, identify bottlenecks, and ensure servers run efficiently: The system monitor showed memory usage spiking to 95%.

dashboardVehicle control panel
CPUMain computing chip
memoryMind's retention capacity
performanceCarrying out a task
processesSeries of actions

background process · resources · diagnostics · metrics · heartbeat · usage · bandwidth · disk · activity · tracker · watchdog · vitals · load · spinning wheel · temperature · fan · kernel panic · blue screen

Opposites

observation vs. intervention

system monitortask manager

System resource monitor

transparency vs. concealment

system monitorrootkit

Hidden unauthorized access software

legitimate vs. malicious software

system monitorspyware

Hidden surveillance program

malware · virus · keylogger · ransomware · backdoor

Family

system, monitor, systems, systematic, systematize, systematically, systemic, systemically, monitors

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Rated G