While(1) {  $p = get-counter '\Process(*)\% Processor Time'; cls; $p.CounterSamples | sort -des CookedValue | select -f 15 | ft -a}`

While(1) {  $p = get-counter '\Process(*)\% Processor Time'; cls; $p.CounterSamples | sort -des CookedValue | select -f 15 | ft -a}

A similar solution as the others, but using Get-Counter instead of Get-Process.

While(1) { $p = get-counter '\Process(*)\% Processor Time'; cls; $p.CounterSamples | sort -des CookedValue | select -f 15 | ft -a}

Path                                                      InstanceName              CookedValue
----                                                      ------------              -----------
\\server_name\process(_total)\% processor time                 _total               4806.03969127454
\\server_name\process(idle)\% processor time                   idle                 1103.7573538257
\\server_name\process(program#2)\% processor time              program              749.692930701698
\\server_name\process(program#5)\% processor time              program              563.424255927765
\\server_name\process(program#1)\% processor time              program              535.714866291973
\\server_name\process(program#6)\% processor time              program              455.665518455242
\\server_name\process(program#3)\% processor time              program              426.416718284128
\\server_name\process(program)\% processor time                program              395.628507577693
\\server_name\process(program#4)\% processor time              program              335.591496700144
\\server_name\process(microsoftedgecp#2)\% processor time      microsoftedgecp      129.310484967028
\\server_name\process(system)\% processor time                 system               80.0493478367316
\\server_name\process(chrome#8)\% processor time               chrome               1.53941053532176

I found most of the other solutions here using get-process report the total CPU time since the start of the process. That wasn't useful on my server that stays up 24/7 where the top result was always just svchost and system at millions of seconds. A true top or Task Manager equivalent would give a snapshot of the CPU usage recorded recently over some fixed time and Get-Counter provides that. Since this Superuser post is still the top Google result for "powershell top", I figured this alternative is worth contributing.

My command is based on example 13 from the Get-Counter docs: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/Microsoft.PowerShell.Diagnostics/Get-Counter.
Here's a breakdown of the one-liner so you can more easily modify it to your needs:

• While(1) { just loops it
• get-counter '\Process(*)\% Processor Time' selects the CPU % data. This command seems to take a significant amount of time to return, so no need to sleep
• cls clear for the new table
• sort -des CookedValue CookedValue is the field we're intetested in, sort to put the biggest on top
• select -f 15 display first 15
• ft -a display in formatted table

A similar solution as others, but using Get-Counter instead of Get-Process:

While(1) {  $p = get-counter '\Process(*)\% Processor Time'; cls; $p.CounterSamples | sort -des CookedValue | select -f 15 | ft -a}`

Path                                                      InstanceName              CookedValue
----                                                      ------------              -----------
\\server_name\process(_total)\% processor time                 _total               4806.03969127454
\\server_name\process(idle)\% processor time                   idle                 1103.7573538257
\\server_name\process(program2)\% processor time               program              749.692930701698
\\server_name\process(program5)\% processor time               program              563.424255927765
\\server_name\process(program1)\% processor time               program              535.714866291973
\\server_name\process(program6)\% processor time               program              455.665518455242
\\server_name\process(program3)\% processor time               program              426.416718284128
\\server_name\process(program)\% processor time                program              395.628507577693
\\server_name\process(program4)\% processor time               program              335.591496700144
\\server_name\process(microsoftedgecp2)\% processor time       microsoftedgecp      129.310484967028
\\server_name\process(system)\% processor time                 system               80.0493478367316
\\server_name\process(chrome8)\% processor time                chrome               1.53941053532176

I found most of the other solutions here using Get-Process report the total CPU time since the start of the process, which wasn't useful on my server that stays up 24/7 where the top result was always svchost and system at millions of seconds.

• A true top or Task Manager equivalent would give a snapshot of the CPU usage recorded recently over some fixed time and Get-Counter provides that. I figured this alternative is worth contributing since this question is still the top Google result for powershell top.

Based on Example 13 from the Get-Counter docs, a breakdown of the command:

• While(1) {: Creates a loop

• get-counter '\Process(*)\% Processor Time': Selects CPU % data, which takes a significant amount of time to return, so no need to sleep

• cls: Clear for the new table

• sort -des CookedValue: Sort largest on top for CookedValue [field we're interested in]

• select -f 15: Display first 15

• ft -a: Display in formatted table