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#11
I hope this one works or fixes the issue anyway. Only for the records, it's not only your math, 550W is the nVidia spec/recommendation for the PSU (the TDP is 160W) and a good wise level unless you have some "crazy" stuff (other GPU(s), a very high wattage processor or several processors,...).
Years ago I had a high-end mobo with a 125W processor and a 190W (*) vcard (I still use this build although with changed specs). It pulled about 330W from the socket (measured with a multimeter) while doing the maximum stress test I could think of with "normal apps" (I used 3dMark latter version highest settings and no OS power savings, there're different opinions about these tests but I don't like "artificial apps" to call them some way). The PSU was a high quality one, a Corsair VX550 that lasted 13 years (the vcard isn't "efficient" when not doing 3D unlike current ones, it belongs to a "transition age" and pulls significant power in 2D, I recall a 70W estimate, modern ones consume about 10W when not gaming).
(*) To cut a long story short, I think the maker stretched this number to include samples that weren't so good, and that my sample consumes about 140W at load, comparing to other builds with "easier" parts for which I had measured its consumption the same way.
This is only informational as Idk what are your options, and I really hope the new PSU works well, but I think it's better to know. Unfortunately, PSU's cannot be described with only a maximum wattage and a quality level. As the efficiency value is the one at maximum wattage, with the efficiency and other parameters like relibility going down as the power increases, a maker can choose between selling say a 500W and 80% efficiency product or a 600W and 70% efficiency one, same physical product in both cases. To avoid abuses here, makers have agreed the "80 plus" standard, with ratings named with metals or colors to be able to specify higher efficiency (like 85%) and price products.
Another important feature are "rails". PSU's provide several voltages, concretely and summarizing 3.3V, 5V and 12V. Decades ago part makers used lower voltages to feed devices that didn't need "high" voltages like 12V and save in the VRM, but typical consumptions started to rise so much that amperages at lower voltages would have been crazy and the 12V line, corresponding VRMs etc started being "monopolistic". The 12V amperages went "crazy" anyway (for instance 396W => 33A, and this is a "medium" level). I don't know well all the reasons and implementations here but PSU makers started making PSU's with several "rails" of limited amperage/power each. An important net result is that you cannot connect individual parts that consume too much even if the total wattage fits (I don't think 160W should be affected).
I've seen some lower quality PSUs stating high wattage specs but not having the means to use them. For instance they don't have enough connectors or their rails are too narrow.
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