Intercooled Stata (IC) and Stata Special Edition (SE) differ in the size of the datasets they can analyze. IC Stata is the "standard" version of Stata, and Stata/SE is for large datasets. Stata/MP is a version of Stata/SE for multiprocessor computers or dual core computers.

Intercooled Stata allows datasets with as many as 2,047 variables, and can have at most 798 right-hand-side variables in a model. The limit of observations for all flavours of Stata is based on the amount of RAM in your computer.

Stata/SE and Stata/MP allows datasets with up to 32,766 variables. Stata/SE and Stata/MP can fit models with more independent variables (up to 10,998) and can fit certain panel-data models with larger time-series within panel.

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 of Stata/SE on inexpensive, dual-core desktops. Stata/MP runs even faster on industrial-grade multiprocessor servers.

There is MP2 for 2 single processors or 1 dual core processor, MP4 for 4 single processors or 2 dual core processors, and so on up until MP64 for computers with 64 single processors or 16 dual core processors.