SUMMARY Adding a total CPU use widget to the start bar displays a % # that doesn't match the # shown in system monitor's total CPU use # or the % shown in htop or btop in the terminal. STEPS TO REPRODUCE 1. Add Total CPU usage widget to start bar 2. Open system monitor, htop or btop 3. Observe the two or more numbers OBSERVED RESULT The numbers update differently showing different values. EXPECTED RESULT The numbers should show the same %. It shouldn't be one showing 1.5% and the other showing 8.8% etc. SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS KDE Plasma Version: 5.27.10 KDE Frameworks Version: 5.115.0 Qt Version: 5.15.12 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION I get it that the terminal apps might be refreshing at different intervals, but system monitor should be refreshing at the same interval as the widget since it is using the same process afaik so what is displayed on the widget should be the same as what is displayed on system monitor.
As of Plasma 6, the app and widget show the exact same value for me, and update at the same cadence by default. As for 3rd-party tools, we can't feasibly match them perfectly due to differences in update frequency, what exactly they're measuring, how they're measuring it, etc. Being in the ballpark will have to suffice.