Build:

Cooler Maser V850SFX, Stock cables

3080 Strix, Stock, Horizontal

280mm CLC side intake, Top Exhaust fans

Observations:

After 2 years of high usage, the ambient temperature around the PCIe connectors caused minor singeing on 3 of the 24 PCIe pins in use. Also, plastic ends on the connectors have become brittle. This data is supported by general recommendations in the Gamer's Nexus video 'Don't Use Cheap Cables: Dangerous Construction & False Wire Gauge' released April 18, 2021. In that video GN discusses SATA cables, but covered how constant high ambient temperatures will degrade cable integrity over time.

I think the confined space of the PCIe connectors, lack of airflow over the inputs, and the high TDP of the 3080 resulted in this failure.

I'm moving to a midtower that has fan airflow directly over the GPU PCIe connectors and using my NR200 for a lower power demand use case.