Change Activity Monitor update speed

Check this out for a previous post. But, adding a bit to that answer...

First - while you have 4 physical cores, you have hyperthreading active, which allows each core to serve as 2 virtual cores. This will give you a theoretical maximum CPU usage of 100% x 8, or 800%.

Second - the % reported in the activity monitor is showing total CPU% (so it won't exceed 100%). Looking at the CPU numbers in your table, you're using a bit more than 485% out of the maximum of 800%. 485/800 is about 60%, which is your total usage reflected here...

I have found that sometimes processes can spawn and die so fast that Activity Monitor has trouble keeping up, and doesn't manage to get all the information displayed in time. It isn't a major issue, and it is a normal behavior, if a somewhat incorrect one.