With this kernel
Linux version 3.18.0-linaro-hikey (buildslave@x86-64-07) (gcc version 4.9.2 20140904 (prerelease) (crosstool-NG linaro-1.13.1-4.9-2014.09 - Linaro GCC 4.9-2014.09) ) #1 SMP PREEMPT Wed Feb 11 04:08:20 UTC 2015
Hikey always shows a load of >= 1.0 in top, with a kernel worker at 100% CPU. And using the kernel tracing, also shows him spinning in and out of the workqueue
kworker/7:1-364 [007] d..2 135.917802: workqueue_activate_work: work struct ffffffc034b6fe50
kworker/7:1-364 [007] d..2 135.927257: workqueue_activate_work: work struct ffffffc034b6fe50
kworker/7:1-364 [007] d..2 135.936712: workqueue_activate_work: work struct ffffffc034b6fe50
kworker/7:1-364 [007] d..2 135.946167: workqueue_activate_work: work struct ffffffc034b6fe50
kworker/7:1-364 [007] d..2 135.955622: workqueue_activate_work: work struct ffffffc034b6fe50
kworker/7:1-364 [007] d..2 135.965077: workqueue_activate_work: work struct ffffffc034b6fe50
kworker/7:1-364 [007] d..2 135.974532: workqueue_activate_work: work struct ffffffc034b6fe50
Do we know what this is related to (or is it fixed with a later kernel?)