StoreDeal.ai store
Shop
  • Deals
  • Deal checker
  • Black Friday
  • Buying guides
  • Brands
  • Stores
Travel
  • Flight deals
  • Hotel deals
Company
  • Research
  • Press
  • Use in AI assistants
  • Contact
  • deal.ai apps
Black Friday 2026
  • Walmart
  • Best Buy
  • Target
  • TVs
  • Laptops
  • Headphones
  • Apple
  • Gaming
  • Vacuums
  • Kitchen
  • Toys
  • Smartwatches
  • Tablets
  • Furniture
  • Mattresses
© Deal.ai Inc.·2222 Ponce de Leon Blvd, Miami, FL 33134·support@deal.ai
TermsPrivacy
Deal.ai › HP
HP
HP 256GB MLC SATA 6Gbps (SED / Opal 2.0) 2.5-inch Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - 696356-030

HP 256GB MLC SATA 6Gbps (SED / Opal 2.0) 2.5-inch Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - 696356-030

Best price now

$279.95at CPU Republic LLCChecked Nov 10

Prices are checked against each store and labelled with when.

Visit CPU Republic LLC

Ask our agent about this product

It checks today's price at every store, compares the alternatives and answers in about a minute.

Enter to send, Shift+Enter for a new line

Price facts

  • Last seen at $279.95 at CPU Republic LLC on Nov 10.

Our take on the HP 256GB MLC SATA 6Gbps (SED / Opal 2.0) 2.5-inch Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - 696356-030

This is an HP-branded 256GB 2.5-inch SATA solid-state drive built on MLC NAND, with hardware self-encryption that follows the Opal 2.0 standard. It is a server and business-PC part, not a consumer upgrade drive: it is meant to drop into HP ProLiant servers and HP workstations as a like-for-like replacement. Against current consumer SATA SSDs it is slower and smaller, and its value sits in the encryption and the HP part-number fit rather than in speed or capacity.

Best forReplacing a failed drive in an HP ProLiant server or HP workstationIT teams that need Opal 2.0 self-encryption at the drive levelKeeping an existing HP system on its validated part number
Pros
  • Hardware self-encryption to the Opal 2.0 standard
  • MLC NAND, which has higher write endurance than the TLC and QLC used in most consumer drives
  • Standard 2.5-inch SATA 6Gbps interface, so it fits any SATA bay
  • HP part number 696356-030 matches HP server and workstation build lists
Cons
  • 256GB is small next to today's drives
  • SATA speeds, well below NVMe
  • MLC drives cost more per gigabyte than TLC and QLC
  • Encryption needs management software and a configured key to be useful
  • Sold as an HP service part, so firmware and support follow HP's channels

HP 256GB MLC SATA 6Gbps (SED / Opal 2.0) 2.5-inch Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - 696356-030 prices at every store

  • CPU Republic LLCNew

    In stockReturn policy

    $279.95Checked Nov 10
    Visit CPU Republic LLC

About the HP 256GB MLC SATA 6Gbps (SED / Opal 2.0) 2.5-inch Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - 696356-030

This is a 256GB internal solid state drive from HP, part number 696356-030. It uses MLC flash memory and connects over SATA 6Gbps.

The drive is 2.5-inch in size. It supports SED (self-encrypting drive) with Opal 2.0.

Brand
HP
Part number
696356-030
Capacity
256GB
Form factor
2.5-inch internal
Interface
SATA 6Gbps
Memory type
MLC
Security
SED / Opal 2.0

Questions and answers

Is this drive worth it over a consumer SATA SSD?
Only if you need the Opal 2.0 self-encryption or an exact HP part match for a server or workstation. For a normal PC build, a current consumer SATA or NVMe drive gives more capacity and speed.
Does it work in a regular desktop or laptop?
It is a standard 2.5-inch SATA drive, so it fits any SATA bay. The encryption features only work with a system and management software that support Opal 2.0.
What is Opal 2.0 self-encryption?
It is a standard for drives that encrypt data in hardware, so the key stays in the drive and the host manages it. Data on the drive is unreadable without the key.
How is MLC different from TLC or QLC?
MLC stores two bits per cell, which generally means higher write endurance than TLC and QLC. It also costs more per gigabyte.
What comes in the box?
The drive itself. Cables, caddies and mounting screws are not included and usually come with the server or workstation.
Is 256GB enough for a server boot drive?
For a hypervisor or OS install it is workable. For storing data or virtual machines, plan on more capacity or additional drives.
Where is the HP 256GB MLC SATA 6Gbps (SED / Opal 2.0) 2.5-inch Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - 696356-030 cheapest?
At CPU Republic LLC, for $279.95, as of our latest check.

More from HP

  • H
    HP 256GB MLC SATA 6Gbps (SED) 2.5-inch Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - 667664-001
    HP 256GB MLC SATA 6Gbps (SED) 2.5-inch Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - 667664-001
  • H
    HP 256GB MLC SATA 6Gbps (SED) 2.5-inch Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - H2C38AA-02
    HP 256GB MLC SATA 6Gbps (SED) 2.5-inch Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - H2C38AA-02
  • H
    HP EliteBook 840 G11
    HP EliteBook 840 G11
  • H
    HP 15.6 inch Windows Laptop Intel Core i3-N305 8GB RAM 256GB SSD
    HP 15.6 inch Windows Laptop Intel Core i3-N305 8GB RAM 256GB SSD
  • H
    HP Chromebook 11 G5 11.6" 4GB 16GB eMMC Celeron N3060 2.48GHz ChromeOS, Gray
    HP Chromebook 11 G5 11.6" 4GB 16GB eMMC Celeron N3060 2.48GHz ChromeOS, Gray
  • H
    HP 14-dq6103ds 14" HD Touchscreen Laptop, Intel N150 0.8GHz, 4GB RAM, 128GB UFS, Windows 11 Home S Mode, Moonlight Blue
    HP 14-dq6103ds 14" HD Touchscreen Laptop, Intel N150 0.8GHz, 4GB RAM, 128GB UFS, Windows 11 Home S Mode, Moonlight Blue
  • H
    HP EliteBook 840 G8 Laptop, Core i7, 256GB SSD
    HP EliteBook 840 G8 Laptop, Core i7, 256GB SSD
  • H
    HP OmniBook 3 14" 2K Laptop, AMD Ryzen 5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD
    HP OmniBook 3 14" 2K Laptop, AMD Ryzen 5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD
All HP deals and products →

More internal solid state drives

  • S
    Samsung 850 PRO Series 256GB Multi-Level Cell (MLC) SATA 6Gb/s 2.5-inch Solid State Drive
    Samsung 850 PRO Series 256GB Multi-Level Cell (MLC) SATA 6Gb/s 2.5-inch Solid State Drive
  • T
    Timetec 256GB M.2 2280 SATA III Internal Solid State Drive
    Timetec 256GB M.2 2280 SATA III Internal Solid State Drive
  • S
    Samsung 990 EVO Plus 4 TB Solid State Drive
    Samsung 990 EVO Plus 4 TB Solid State Drive
  • W
    Western Digital Black SN850X 4TB NVMe PCIe Internal Solid State Drive
    Western Digital Black SN850X 4TB NVMe PCIe Internal Solid State Drive
  • S
    SanDisk Black SN8100 4 TB Solid State Drive
    SanDisk Black SN8100 4 TB Solid State Drive
S
Samsung 870 Evo Series 2.5" 4Tb Sata Iii V-Nand Internal Solid State Drive (Ssd)
Samsung 870 Evo Series 2.5" 4Tb Sata Iii V-Nand Internal Solid State Drive (Ssd)
  • S
    Samsung 870 QVO 2.5IN SATA III 4TB INTERNAL SSD
    Samsung 870 QVO 2.5IN SATA III 4TB INTERNAL SSD
  • S
    Samsung 9100 PRO 4 TB Solid State Drive
    Samsung 9100 PRO 4 TB Solid State Drive