Which Stata is right for me?
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Overview
Whether you’re a student or a seasoned research professional, we have a package designed to suit your needs.
All of the following flavours of Stata have the same complete set of commands and features and include PDF documentation (printed documentation is optional):
- Stata/MP: The fastest version of Stata (for dual-core and multicore/multiprocessor computers)
- Stata/SE: Stata for large datasets
- Stata/IC: Stata for moderate-sized datasets
- Small Stata: A version of Stata that handles small datasets (for educational purchases only)
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Stata/MP is the fastest and largest version of Stata. Most computers purchased since mid 2006 can take advantage of the advanced multiprocessing of Stata/MP. This includes the Intel CoreTM 2 Duo, i3, i5, i7, and the AMD X2 dual-core chips. On dual-core chips, Stata/MP runs 40% faster overall and 72% faster where it matters - on the time-consuming estimation commands. With more than two cores or processors, Stata/MP is even faster.
Stata/MP is a version of Stata/SE that runs on multiprocessor and multicore computers. Stata/MP provides the most extensive support for multiprocessor computers and multicore computers of any statistics and data-management package.
The exciting thing about Stata/MP, and the only difference between Stata/MP and Stata/SE, is that Stata/MP runs faster—much faster. Stata/MP lets you analyze data in one-half to two-thirds of the time compared with Stata/SE on inexpensive dual-core desktops and laptops and in one-quarter to one-half the time on quad-core desktops. Stata/MP runs even faster on multiprocessor servers. Stata/MP supports up to 64 processors/cores.
In a perfect world, software would run twice as fast on two cores, four times as fast on four cores, eight times as fast on eight cores, and so on. Across all commands, Stata/MP runs 1.6 times faster on two cores, 2.1 times faster on four cores, and 2.7 times faster on eight cores. These values are median speed improvements. Half the commands run even faster.
On the other side of the distribution, a few commands do not run faster, often because they are inherently sequential, such as time-series commands.
Stata worked hard to make sure that the performance gains for commands that take longer to run would be greater. Across all estimation commands, Stata/MP runs 1.8 times faster on dual-core computers, 2.8 times faster on quad-core computers, and 4.1 times faster on computers with eight cores.
Stata/MP is 100% compatible other versions of with Stata. Analyses do not have to be reformulated or modified in any way to obtain Stata/MP’s speed improvements.
Stata/MP is available for the following operating systems:
- Windows (32- and 64-bit processors)
- Mac OS X (64-bit Intel processors)
- Linux (32- and 64-bit processors)
- Solaris (64-bit SPARC and x86-64)
To run Stata/MP, you can use a desktop computer with a dual-core or quad-core processor, or you can use a server with multiple processors. Whether a computer has separate processors or one processor with multiple cores makes no difference. More processors or cores makes Stata/MP run faster.
For more advice on purchasing/upgrading to Stata/MP or for hardware queries, please contact our sales team either by email: info@timberlake.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 8697 3377.
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Stata SE performs in the same way as Stata/MP, allowing for the same number of variables and observations and the only difference is that it is not designed for parallel processing.
In addition, Stata/SE, Stata/IC and Small Stata differ only in the dataset size that each can analyze. Stata/SE and Stata/MP can fit models with more independent variables than Stata/IC (up to 10,998).
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Stata/IC allows datasets with as many as 2,047 variables. The number of observations is limited only by the amount of RAM in your computer. Stata/IC can have at most 798 right-hand-side variables in a model.
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Small Stata is limited to analysing datasets with a maximum of 99 variables and 1,200 observations. Small Stata can have at most 99 right-hand-side variables in a model.
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Compare features
| Stata/MP | Stata/SE | Stata/IC | Small Stata |
| Max. no. of variables | 32,767 | 32,767 | 2,047 | 99 |
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| Max. no. of right-hand variables | 10,998 | 10,998 | 798 | 99 |
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| Max. no. of observations | Unlimited* | Unlimited* | Unlimited* | 1,200 |
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| 64-bit compatible? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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| Allows parallel processing? | Yes | No | No | No |
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| Platforms | Windows, Mac OS X (64-bit Intel), Unix | |||
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| Minimum memory required | 512 MB | 512 MB | 512 MB | 512 MB |
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| Minimum disk space required | 500 MB | 500 MB | 500 MB | 500 MB |
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* The Maximum number of observations is limited only by the amount of available RAM on your system.
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Prices
| Stata |
| Commercial | Click here to view | |
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| Academic | Click here to view | |
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To order Stata software, please contact our sales team either by email: info@timberlake.co.uk, phone: +44 (0)20 8697 3377 or fill out an online order form.
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