On MikroTik devices, CPU usage can vary significantly depending on the device model, the features you are using, and the volume of network traffic they are handling.

There is no single “safe percentage” of CPU usage that universally applies to all MikroTik scenarios or devices, as different tasks and configurations have different processing demands.

However, there are some general guidelines you can consider to evaluate whether your MikroTik computer's CPU usage is acceptable:

General Reference Values

• 0% – 40% CPU Usage: Generally considered secure and means that the router has enough processing power to handle the current load efficiently.
• 40% – 70% CPU Usage: It is a moderate range. The equipment is still working fine, but it's a good idea to monitor the load to make sure it doesn't increase significantly during traffic peaks.
• 70% – 90% CPU Usage: It is considered high. Although the router may continue to function, you are reaching a point where performance could begin to suffer, especially during peak demand. It is advisable to investigate the causes of high CPU usage and consider optimizations or a possible hardware upgrade.
• 90%+ CPU Usage: It is considered critical and can result in noticeable performance degradation, with slow response times and possibly packet loss. It is recommended that you take immediate action to reduce the load or plan a hardware upgrade.

Factors to Consider

• Network Traffic: A high volume of traffic, especially with processing-intensive services such as VPNs, NAT, complex firewall filters, or packet inspection, can significantly increase CPU usage.
• Advanced Settings: Features such as dynamic routing, QoS (Quality of Service), and port mapping may require more CPU resources.
• Device Model: MikroTik devices vary in processing capacity. The high-end models are designed to handle a higher workload compared to the low-end devices.
• RouterOS version: The efficiency of the operating system can affect performance. Make sure your device is running the latest stable version of RouterOS to take advantage of performance and security improvements.

Recommendations

If you find that your CPU usage is frequently at the high end of these ranges, consider reviewing your settings for optimizations, reducing non-essential services, or even planning a hardware upgrade to a more powerful model that can better handle the load.

Monitoring CPU usage over time will help you understand trends and make informed decisions about how to manage your network capacity.