I ended up submitting a support ticket for confirmation. Support seemed clear on this being a connector issue due to the design of the first batch of the model (I managed to coincidentally snag a order apx. 5 minutes after release, for good or bad... Mostly good!
). The PCB and cable layout has been revised twice since then - an intermediate fix that made the cabling more sturdy and later (not sure when) what is now the "electronics upgrade kit". So, I got the "electronics upgrade kit" (along with dust protector upgrade inbound) to hopefully resolve the issue for good. The internals in the electronics upgrade kit looks significantly more sturdy.I'll make sure to post an update once received and installed for future reference if anyone else has issues.
Beyond this (likely early issue), the stick works and looks essentially brand new - despite being apx. 5 years now.