servos
I agree with the reliability statement you have made.
One thing you need to think about is deadband. If you are going to fly faster than most planes, then flutter becomes a concern. A surface using servos with lower deadband (all other things being equal) will have less likelihood to flutter.
The ball bearing support will also prevent the build up of slop that can lead to flutter as well.
Some of the better servos have better gear trains as well.
Overall I think your statement is good though, we should not spend money for moneys sake
Matt