1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device (computer, tablet, or smartphone) when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites function properly, improve user experience, and provide analytical information to website operators.
Cookies can be "persistent" (remain on your device until deleted or expired) or "session-based" (deleted when you close your browser). They can also be "first-party" (set by the website you're visiting) or "third-party" (set by external services used on the website).
2. How We Use Cookies
PC Bottleneck Calculator at www.bottleneckgpucpucalculator.com uses cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
2.1 Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are essential for the Website to function properly. They cannot be disabled.
| Cookie | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
PHPSESSID |
PHP session identifier for server-side functionality | Session | First-party |
cc_consent |
Stores your cookie consent choices (necessary, analytics, advertising) | 180 days | First-party |
2.2 Analytics Cookies
These cookies are placed only if you consent to analytics. They help us understand how visitors interact with our Website by collecting anonymized data. We use this information to improve our bottleneck calculator, content, and overall user experience.
| Cookie | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
_ga |
Google Analytics — Distinguishes unique users by assigning a randomly generated ID | 2 years | Third-party (Google) |
_ga_* |
Google Analytics 4 — Maintains session state and identifies user sessions | 2 years | Third-party (Google) |
_gid |
Google Analytics — Distinguishes users for 24-hour reporting | 24 hours | Third-party (Google) |
_gat |
Google Analytics — Throttles request rate to limit data collection on high-traffic pages | 1 minute | Third-party (Google) |
Note: Our Google Analytics implementation uses anonymized IP addresses (anonymize_ip: true) to protect user privacy.
2.3 Advertising Cookies (Google AdSense)
We may display advertisements through Google AdSense or other third-party advertising networks, including services operated by Google LLC. These cookies are placed only if you consent to advertising. Google and its partners use cookies to serve ads, measure ad performance, prevent fraud, and (where permitted) show personalized ads based on your interests and browsing activity on this and other websites.
Third-party vendor: Google LLC. Learn how Google uses data from partner sites: Google Privacy & Terms — How Google uses information from sites that use our services. Google's privacy policy: policies.google.com/privacy.
| Cookie | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
__gads |
Google AdSense — Measures ad interactions and prevents showing the same ad repeatedly | 13 months | Third-party (Google) |
__gpi |
Google Publisher Identifier — Used to associate user activity for ad targeting | 13 months | Third-party (Google) |
NID |
Google — Stores preferences and ad personalization information | 6 months | Third-party (Google) |
IDE |
Google DoubleClick — Used by AdSense to measure ad effectiveness and deliver relevant ads | 13 months | Third-party (Google) |
test_cookie |
Google — Checks whether the browser accepts cookies (used for ad delivery) | 15 minutes | Third-party (Google) |
2.4 Functionality Cookies
These cookies enable enhanced functionality and personalization:
| Cookie | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
theme_pref |
Saves dark/light mode preference | 12 months | First-party |
lang_pref |
Remembers selected language preference for multilingual pages | 12 months | First-party |
calc_last |
Stores last calculator selections for convenience (optional, browser-side only) | 30 days | First-party |
3. Similar Technologies
In addition to cookies, we may use other tracking technologies:
- Local Storage / Session Storage: Browser-based storage used to save calculator preferences, recent component selections, and user interface states. This data stays on your device and is not sent to our servers.
- Pixel Tags / Web Beacons: Small transparent images used in analytics to track page views and user engagement metrics.
- JavaScript Tags: Code snippets that enable analytics services (like Google Analytics 4) to collect performance and usage data.
4. How to Manage Cookies
You have several options to control or limit how cookies are used:
4.1 On-Site Cookie Preferences
When you first visit from the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or a country where consent is required, we show a cookie consent banner. You can accept all cookies, reject non-essential cookies, or customize your preferences by category (necessary, analytics, advertising).
You may withdraw or change your consent at any time using the button below. This clears your saved preferences and reloads the page so you can make a new choice.
Current consent status: Checking…
4.2 Browser Settings
Most web browsers allow you to manage cookies through their settings. You can:
- View cookies: See which cookies are stored on your device
- Delete cookies: Remove specific or all cookies from your device
- Block cookies: Prevent certain or all cookies from being set
- Set preferences: Allow first-party but block third-party cookies
Here are links to cookie management instructions for popular browsers:
Please note: Blocking cookies may affect Website functionality. Essential cookies are required for the Website to work properly.
4.3 Google Analytics Opt-Out
To prevent Google Analytics from collecting data about your visits, you can:
- Install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on
- Use browser extensions that block tracking scripts (e.g., uBlock Origin, Privacy Badger)
- Enable "Do Not Track" in your browser settings
4.4 Advertising Opt-Out
To manage advertising cookies and personalized ads:
- Google Ads Settings — Control Google ad personalization
- Digital Advertising Alliance — Opt out of interest-based advertising
- Your Online Choices (EU) — Manage ad preferences from multiple companies
5. Consent for EU/EEA, UK, and Similar Regions
We obtain your consent before placing non-essential cookies (analytics and advertising) when required by applicable law. Strictly necessary cookies do not require consent because they are essential for the Website to function.
Non-essential cookies and third-party scripts (Google Analytics 4, Google AdSense) are blocked until you opt in via our consent banner or save custom preferences. We use Google Consent Mode v2 to communicate your choices to Google before any tags fire. Rejecting non-essential cookies does not prevent you from using the bottleneck calculator or other core site features.
6. Do Not Track (DNT) Signals
Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature. While there is no industry-standard response to DNT signals, we respect your privacy preferences and aim to limit data collection wherever possible. We recommend using the opt-out tools described above for more reliable privacy control.
7. Your Rights Under GDPR
If you are in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or Switzerland, you have the following rights regarding cookies and personal data processing:
- Right to consent: Non-essential cookies require your explicit consent before being placed
- Right to withdraw consent: You may withdraw your cookie consent at any time
- Right to information: You have the right to know what cookies are used and why
- Right to deletion: You can request deletion of data collected via cookies
For more details about your data rights, please see our Privacy Policy.
8. Cookie Policy Updates
We may update this Cookie Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy regularly.
9. Related Policies
- Privacy Policy — How we collect and protect your personal information
- Terms of Service — Rules governing use of our website and tools
- Disclaimer — Accuracy limitations of our bottleneck calculator
10. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Cookie Policy or our use of cookies, please contact us:
- Website: www.bottleneckgpucpucalculator.com/contact
- Email: [email protected]