Gaming graphics tech giant NVIDIA is at the center of a class action lawsuit that alleges poorly built gaming connector cables are melting, damaging both the connector cable and the gaming graphics card the cable attaches to.

The lawsuit was filed by New York resident Lucas Genova last week and targets NVIDIA’s 12VHPWR connector. The connector comes included in the company's most powerful gaming graphics card, the RTX 4090. The connector works to provide the needed energy to power up this high-function graphics card through a 16-pin connector. As the company’s flagship graphics card, the RTX 4090 is offered at an MSRP of $1,599.

Since the graphics card and its accompanying connector cable were first released, at least 20 customers have reported high energy output melting the cable and at times melting and damaging the port of the graphics card as well.

The lawsuit highlights that the first known report of the dysfunctional cable was on October 24, 2022, after a user posted an image on Reddit showing the melted cable and destroyed graphics card.

Genova explains in the lawsuit that he first noticed the design flaw shortly after plugging up and using the graphics card and connector cable. “The cause of the melting appears to be a design flaw, relating to the high wattage flowing through each of the 16 pins,” the lawsuit explains. “If there is even a temporary break in the electrical connection for any of the pins, too high a current will flow through the remaining pins, causing a meltdown.”

The lawsuit accuses the company of unjustly enriching itself, violating the product’s warranty, and engaging in fraud. Genova is also seeking damages for impacted customers and is asking a court or jury to determine the amount of damages awarded.

As reports began to surface about users battling melting cables, online tech outlet GamersNexus released an in-depth report that examined what was causing the connector cables to melt down.

The analysis revealed that it was a combination of user error and poor design that resulted in the damaged connector and graphics card. GamersNexus explained that users were incorrectly inserting the 16-pin connector. The analysis went on to explain that for gamers who own an RTX 4090, it’s important to remove any debris that may be lingering on the 16-pin connectors, and that users should firmly and properly insert the connector into the graphics card without pulling the connector cable at an angle.

After concerns about the graphics cards and the connectors began to surface, NVIDIA released a statement that explained it was investigating the reported issues with the connector. However, the company is not explaining why the connectors are melting and what options customers have. The company shared with online tech outlet, Kitguru, “We continue to investigate the reports, however, we don’t have further details to share yet. NVIDIA and our partners are committed to supporting our customers and ensuring an expedited RMA process for them.”