Most compact keyboard marketing is written for right-handed players: drop the number pad and your mouse gets more room. If you mouse with your left hand, that pitch does not quite apply, because the number pad was never on your side of the desk. So does a small board help a left-hander at all? It does, just not in the way the box suggests. Here is how a compact keyboard for left-handed mouse users actually helps, using AULA's magnetic boards as the example.

Quick Answer

Only a little on its own. A compact AULA WIN68 or HERO saves width on the right, where a number pad would sit. What it gives a left-handed player is the freedom to slide the whole board to the right, so the mouse can work closer to the keys. The HERO 75 HE, for one, is about 313mm across and costs R899 at Evetech, while the WIN68 HE and WIN68 MAX are R449 and R699.

↔️ Why a smaller board does not free the left side

A full-size keyboard has the letter keys on the left and the number pad on the right. A 75% or 65% board removes the right-hand section and keeps the left-hand side exactly where it was. For a right-handed player, that shortens the distance between the keyboard and the mouse. For a left-hander, the mouse sits beside the Escape, Tab and Shift keys, and those are still in the same place.

So a compact board does not magically create space on the left. What it does is make the whole keyboard narrower, and a narrower board is easier to push around the desk.

🧭 Using the width you save

The practical trick is positioning:

  1. Slide the board right. With less width to accommodate, you can move the keyboard towards the right-hand side of the desk and still keep it centred in front of your body.
  2. Angle it slightly. Many players rotate a compact board a little so their right hand rests naturally on the movement keys.
  3. Give the mouse the left lane. With the board shifted, the mouse has a long clear run on the left for wide movements.

A full-size board makes this difficult, because shifting it right pushes the letter keys too far from your body.

📏 How wide are the AULA magnetic boards?

AULA publishes dimensions for some of its magnetic boards:

  • HERO 75 HE: about 313mm wide, 139mm deep and 43mm tall, with 84 keys.
  • AG75 Pro and Ultra: 319.8mm wide, 143.8mm deep and 42.1mm tall, with 81 keys, in an aluminium case weighing about 1532g.

AULA does not publish measurements for the WIN68 or the HERO 84 HE. As a 65% board with 68 keys, the WIN68 is the smallest layout in the range, since it drops the function row as well as the number pad while keeping the arrow keys.

Low sensitivity with a left-hand mouse

Low-sensitivity aim means big arm sweeps. For those, the length of the clear lane matters more than anything else. Sliding a compact board right gives the left-hand mouse the widest run a given desk allows. A heavy board like the AG75 also stays put when an elbow brushes it mid-swipe.

Sharing one desk

If a left-handed and a right-handed player share a desk, a compact board can sit in the middle while each person keeps the mouse on their own side. That is much harder with a full-size keyboard.

🎯 65% or 75% for a lefty?

  • 65% (WIN68 HE or WIN68 MAX): the narrowest option with arrows kept. Best for maximum mouse room, but F-keys move onto Fn combinations.
  • 75% (HERO 75 HE, HERO 84 HE, AG75): a function row for games and work shortcuts, at the cost of a little extra width.

If you rely on function keys, 75% is the better balance. If every centimetre of mouse lane counts, go 65%.

Every one of these magnetic boards comes with a 2 Years Local Warranty at Evetech. Browse the compact options in the gaming keyboards range, and if you want a lighter or heavier feel later, look at keyboard switches that suit magnetic sockets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't a smaller board free up the left side?

Compact layouts remove keys on the right. The left-hand keys stay where they were.

How wide are the 75% AULA boards?

The HERO 75 HE is about 313mm and the AG75 is 319.8mm. AULA does not list a width for the HERO 84 HE.

Can a left-handed and a right-handed player share one desk?

Yes. A compact board can sit centrally while each player keeps a mouse on their own side.

Does board size matter for low-sensitivity aim with a left-hand mouse?

Yes. A narrow board you can slide right gives the mouse a longer clear lane.

Which AULA board keeps arrows in the smallest frame?

The 65% WIN68, with 68 keys including the arrows.

Sixty-five or seventy-five percent for a lefty?

65% for maximum mouse room, 75% if you want a function row.

Mousing with your left hand? Browse the compact keyboards at Evetech and find a board narrow enough to slide aside for a longer mouse lane.