How to check cpu load on Linux via command line (in Red Hat & CentOS)?

best for me is "htop"

Top command will give cpu load information.

cat /proc/loadavg

or

top c

or

sar INTERVAL COUNTOFTIME

Another tool that is more customized, colorful and gives you much more options is HTOP. As you get used to it you'll love it. It's not installed by default.

To install htop on ubuntu, type the following command in terminal:

• sudo apt-get install htop

Screenshot of the app:

top

try to use other commands as well or enhance the capacity of top command with different switches. TOP command it good but if you are running out of CPU or Memory then top command wont be helping you at that moment. 

use 

sar210

it will give you output after2 seconds and it will go for10 times. 

or use top -c -d2 command and then press SHIFT+O to setup output of top with different way. 

or execute top command and then press1 and see the value of CPU, it will display you all CPU load or CPU by CPU. 

# uptime

OR

# top