A magnetic recording device according to one embodiment includes a magnetic recording medium having a magnetic recording layer; a recording element positioned on a head slider; an assistance element for supplying assistance energy to an area on the recording layer to which a recording magnetic field generated by the recording element is applied, the assistance element being positioned on the head slider; and a controller for controlling a size of an assistance area from the assistance element in accordance with a position of the head slider in a radial direction of the magnetic recording medium. Additional systems and methods are also presented.