Using generic function means throwing out layer of WP API:
get_header
hook would be gone;- compatibility with fetching different headers by name (
"header-{$name}.php"
) would be gone; - usage of
locate_template()
would be gone, which likely would destroy compatibility with child themes.
You can always look at source to see what exactly function does.
WordPress uses own function not just-because. It is usually for concrete compatibility or functionality reasons.