Display apparatus driving display panel based on scale factor and method using the same

A display apparatus comprising:

• a display panel;
• a driving controller which divides input image data into a plurality of partial image data corresponding to a plurality of display areas of the display panel, calculates local loads corresponding to the plurality of partial image data, determines a scale factor based on the local loads, applies the scale factor to the input image data, and generates a data signal;
• and
• a data driver which converts the data signal to a data voltage and outputs the data voltage to the display panel,
• wherein the scale factor for a center display area corresponding to a center of the display panel among the plurality of display areas is determined differently from the scale factor for an edge display area corresponding to an edge of the display panel among the plurality of display areas,
• wherein when an edge local load corresponding to the edge display area exceeds an edge threshold value, an edge scale factor is determined to be less than one,
• wherein when a center local load corresponding to the center display area exceeds a center threshold value, a center scale factor is determined to be less than one, and
• wherein the edge threshold value is less than the center threshold value.