> most semiconductors have an anticipated operational lifespan of 5-7 years,

Funny, my 7 year old laptop seems to be running just fine.

So, still within the 5-7 year range? An operational lifespan is a timeframe in which most of the objects in question are expected to still work, not the timeframe by which most have failed.

If it continues to work for another 5-7 years, that's when you're getting into the "sturdier than average" realm. Your laptop could be a micron's worth of a whisker away from shorting itself out - you won't know until it happens.

Perhaps I should have stated my earlier point differently, but 2 years is still not a small portion of the lifespan of your average computer.