Laser printers featuring the Canon LBP-EX print engine were among the best-selling workgroup printers and had been produced in higher numbers than any other printer in the 1990's. HP was the first to introduce the EX print engine in a desktop printer with their LaserJet® 4, an 8 page per minute (ppm) desktop printer. Replacing the discontinued SX-based LaserJet III, the LJ4 offered more printer for less money, improved paper handling, greater paper capacity, TrueType® compatibility and a smaller footprint. HP later introduced two 12 ppm models based on the EX engine - the LaserJet 4Plus (1994) and the LaserJet 5 (1996).
Only two months after the unveiling of the LaserJet 4, Apple introduced its version using the EX print engine in the 17 ppm LaserWriter® Pro® 16/600 printers. Brotheralso offered had its own version, the HL-1260.
Like the SX cartridge, the EX cartridge made a significant impact on the remanufacturing industry in terms of the cartridge's wide-spread use and ease of remanufacturing. The cartridge has gone through several design changes over the years. A change in seal material and the addition of a post in the entry of the sealing channel prevented the use of insertable seals and fueled the need for a reliable splitting and sealing system. Changes in OEM cartridge pricing, capacities and packaging were frequent.