Your game’s counter says 40 frames per second while the monitor’s display reads 80 Hz. That need not be a measurement error. Low-framerate compensation, usually shortened to LFC, can repeat frames so the monitor continues operating within its variable-refresh range.
The important distinction is between newly rendered game frames and display refreshes. Two refreshes can show the same frame; that does not mean the game has calculated twice as many moments of action.
What happens below the refresh range
AMD’s FreeSync explanation gives the example of a 60–144 Hz display showing a 40 fps game by repeating frames at 80 Hz. The repeated presentation brings the display timing inside the supported range.
LFC therefore helps extend variable-refresh behaviour when the game’s frame rate falls below the display’s minimum. It is different from rendering extra frames, and it should not be confused with technologies that generate intermediate images.
Imagine labelling successive game frames A, B, and C. An illustrative repeated sequence could be A, A, B, B, C, C. The display has refreshed six times, but the game supplied three distinct pictures. That simple distinction explains why a higher refresh reading does not establish a higher simulation or rendering rate.
Use both counters when investigating a problem
When troubleshooting, note the game’s frame rate, the display refresh indication, and the settings in use. Check support for the exact monitor, graphics device, connection, resolution, and mode. A product-family name alone may not describe every supported combination.
If a game still feels uneven, inspect the pattern of frame delivery rather than celebrating one large number. Repetition cannot supply a missing new game state or remove every pause caused by a long rendering delay.
For a useful comparison, replay the same scene with one setting changed at a time. Keep resolution and quality settings consistent, and observe both the visual result and the counters. LFC is a display-timing tool with a specific job. Understanding that job helps you judge whether it is functioning, without expecting it to turn a demanding game into a higher-framerate one.