Conky is my favorite tool for live monitoring my ubuntu machines (Github repo here). It is a light, performant, and highly customizable tool that usually peaks on the side of my second screen, so I can quickly keep an eye on most system's resources.
Config File
Here's my config file below which displays what I need with minimal overhead. Feel free to take it and use it for your needs by editing the configuration file: /etc/conky/conky.conf
The documentation for conky is excellent and be found here.
conky.config = {
use_xft = true,
xftalpha = 0.8,
update_interval = 1.0,
total_run_times = 0,
own_window = true,
own_window_transparent = true,
own_window_argb_visual = true,
own_window_type = 'normal',
own_window_class = 'conky-semi',
own_window_hints = 'undecorated,below,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager',
background = false,
double_buffer = true,
imlib_cache_size = 0,
no_buffers = true,
uppercase = false,
cpu_avg_samples = 2,
override_utf8_locale = true,
-- placement
alignment = 'top_right',
gap_x = 5,
gap_y = 25,
xinerama_head = 0,
-- default drawing
draw_shades = false,
draw_outline = false,
draw_borders = false,
draw_graph_borders = true,
default_bar_width = 150, default_bar_height = 5,
default_graph_width = 150, default_graph_height = 12,
default_gauge_width = 20, default_gauge_height = 20,
-- colors
font = 'Liberation Mono:size=10',
default_color = 'EEEEEE',
color1 = 'a3c1e3',
color2 = 'FF993D',
color3 = 'AAAAAA',
-- layouting
template0 = [[${font Liberation Sans:bold:size=11}${color2}\1 ${color3}${hr 2}${font}]],
template1 = [[${color1}\1]],
template2 = [[${goto 100}${color}]],
template3 = [[${goto 180}${color}${alignr}]],
};
conky.text = [[
${template0 System}
${template1 Hostname} ${template3}${nodename}
${template1 ${sysname}} ${template3}${kernel}-${machine}
${template1 Uptime} ${template3}${uptime_short}
${template0 Processors}
${template1 CPU Load/Temp} ${template3}${freq_g}GHz - ${acpitemp}°C
${template1 Load} ${template2}${loadavg 1} ${template3}${cpugraph}
${template1 Core\ 1} ${template2}${cpu cpu1}% ${template3}${cpubar cpu1}
${template1 Core\ 2} ${template2}${cpu cpu2}% ${template3}${cpubar cpu2}
${template1 Core\ 3} ${template2}${cpu cpu3}% ${template3}${cpubar cpu3}
${template1 Core\ 4} ${template2}${cpu cpu4}% ${template3}${cpubar cpu4}
${template1 Proc/Thrds} ${template2}${processes} ${template3}${threads}
${template1 Top1} ${template2}${top name 1} ${template3}${top cpu 1}
${template1 Top2} ${template2}${top name 2} ${template3}${top cpu 2}
${template1 Top3} ${template2}${top name 3} ${template3}${top cpu 3}
${template0 Memory}
${template1 Memory} ${template2}${memperc}% used ${template3}${mem} / ${memmax}
${template3}${membar}
${template1 Top1} ${template2}${top_mem name 1} ${template3}${top_mem mem_res 1}
${template1 Top2} ${template2}${top_mem name 2} ${template3}${top_mem mem_res 2}
${template1 Top3} ${template2}${top_mem name 3} ${template3}${top_mem mem_res 3}
${template0 Filesystem}
${template1}${fs_type} ${template2}${fs_free /} free ${template3}${fs_used /} / ${fs_size /}
${template3}${fs_bar /}
${template1 IO\ Read} ${template2}${diskio_read} ${template3}${diskiograph_read}
${template1 IO\ Write} ${template2}$diskio_write ${template3}$diskiograph_write
${template1 Top1} ${template2}${top_io name 1} ${template3}${top_io io_perc 1}%
${template1 Top2} ${template2}${top_io name 2} ${template3}${top_io io_perc 2}%
${template1 Top3} ${template2}${top_io name 3} ${template3}${top_io io_perc 3}%
${template0 Networking}
${if_existing /proc/net/route wlp2s0}\
${template1 IP pub/pri} ${template3}${execi 600 curl ipinfo.io/ip} | ${addr wlp2s0}
${template1 AP} ${template3}${wireless_essid wlp2s0}
${template1 Signal} ${template2}${wireless_link_qual_perc wlp2s0} ${template3}${wireless_link_bar wlp2s0}
${template1 Download} ${template2}${downspeed wlp2s0} ${template3}${downspeedgraph wlp2s0}
${template1 Upload} ${template2}${upspeed wlp2s0} ${template3}${upspeedgraph wlp2s0}
${template1 Total Down/Up} ${template3}${totaldown wlp2s0}↓ ${totalup wlp2s0}↑
${else}${if_existing /proc/net/route eth0}\
${template1 Ip} ${template3}${addr eth0}
${template1 Download} ${template2}${downspeed eth0} ${template3}${downspeedgraph eth0}
${template1 Upload} ${template2}${upspeed eth0} ${template3}${upspeedgraph eth0}
${template1 Total Down/Up} ${template3}${totaldown eth0}↓/${totalup eth0}↑
${endif}${endif}\
]];
If you have an AMD, you might have to replace the line above to show your temperature with below:
${template1 CPU\ Load/Temp} ${template3}${freq_g}GHz - ${hwmon 3 temp 1}°C
Run on Startup
If you want conky to run upon start up, you can add it as a startup application by adding this command: conky -p 15. Note that the 15-seconds pause is likely necessary on startup because your GUI takes some time to load before conky can properly load.