I’ve experemented a lot with response in making yoyos.
The drilled holes help a lot for getting the right response as long as they are positioned correctly. I find that too far away from the axle they are near useless and the closer to the axle the better. Also, if they are too deep it can contribute to snagging.
As long as they are drilled in the right place, smoothly without too much depth, they do not affect the smoothness of the yoyo and give reliable response. Done properly and sanded, they should also not contribute significantly to string wear.
I have found my HB Currier to have really reliable response with its dimple system, but the spin time was really low for a fixed axle. It possibly comes down to the material they used for the axle, and the fact that it is slightly thicker than average.
I really do think that the Currier is a very high quality made yoyo though.