PDF font rendering on external monitor

[junkmail509]

I recently installed a demo of MAXQDA (mixed method data analysis tool) and found an annoying PDF font rendering issue. On an external monitor, all PDF text appears jagged and blurry at all zoom levels. However, the same PDF text on the 2016 12" MacBook internal display is clear and readable. The monitor is an Acer H277HU connected by USB-C

To make this more complicated, an older mid-2013 11" MacBook Air hooked to the same external monitor via DisplayPort gives clear readable text. Same external resolution, same macOS version and updates.

Has anyone else experienced issues with the rMacBook poorly rendering PDFs on an external monitor? I have submitted support request to MAXQDA, but this seems like a machine specific issue.

 

[pedregosa]

I work with PDFs all the time on a 2016 12-inch M3 connected to a 4K external monitor. Perfect rendering.

 

[junkmail509]

I work with PDFs all the time on a 2016 12-inch M3 connected to a 4K external monitor. Perfect rendering.

Thanks. I should have clarified in the original post that PDFs in Preview app and Adobe Acrobat Pro render correctly on the external monitor with the 2016 MacBook.

So, this is really a case where a particular app has a problem displaying PDFs on an external monitor connected to the 2016 MacBook, but the same app does not have a problem displaying PDFs on the same external monitor when connected to a mid-2013 MacBook Air.

Anyone have any suggestions that I could pass on to the developer? What would cause machine specific differences? Do the PDF subsystems in macOS 10.12 differ based on hardware ID?