inkberry may get leggy on the bottom with age. I get a bit of winter dieback on mine, but you probably are fine in Z7. boxwoods have an odor that some people (moi!) find unpleasant. Some varieties more so than others.

I would go with boxwood for a more formal front foundation neater look. Inkberry is a bit more casual/woodland/natural IMO. I have Inkberry 'Shamrock' which is supposed to be more dense/compact, but I still see some legginess appearing on my oldest one.

I planted B. 'Green Velvet' on either side of my front steps - southwest exposure -- last spring and so far I am very pleased with them. A minor odor once in awhile. I think the English boxwoods are more odorous than the Korean. Green Velvet may be a hybrid of the 2.

The inkberrys have a more open loose habit as compared to the boxwood. Also inkberrys prefer a wetter site and more acidic soil than boxwood.

And yes you would need to have male/female for berries on ilex glabra. However I understand sexed glabras are difficult to find. Ie., other hollies like the meserve, etc., tend to have labeled male/female cultivars whereas any they are few and far between for the inkberry. Some will buy a whole pile with the hope that there's a mix. I did see one nursery website that lists cultivars called 'Pretty Boy' and 'Pretty Girl' that are supposedly sexed and are more compact in habit.

If you want berries for the birds, you might do better with the native ilex verticillata as they tend to sell named male or female cultivars and these produce some amazing amounts of berries. The only "drawback" if you want to call it that, is that they are decidous.