diff --git a/.github/workflows/pytest.yaml b/.github/workflows/pytest.yaml
index 677f9ca81..61cae33a5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pytest.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pytest.yaml
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-python@v5
         with:
           python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-          architecture: 'x64'
       - name: Install liblsl (linux)
         if: ${{ matrix.os == 'ubuntu' }}
         run: |
@@ -40,8 +39,12 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install liblsl (macOS)
         if: ${{ matrix.os == 'macos' }}
         run: |
-          brew update
-          brew install labstreaminglayer/tap/lsl
+          curl -L https://github.com/sccn/liblsl/releases/download/v1.16.0/liblsl-1.16.0-OSX_arm64.tar.bz2 -o liblsl-1.16.0-OSX_arm64.tar.bz2
+          tar -xf liblsl-1.16.0-OSX_arm64.tar.bz2
+          mv lib/liblsl.1.16.0.dylib .
+          echo "MNE_LSL_LIB=$PWD/liblsl.1.16.0.dylib" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          rm -R lib include bin
+          rm liblsl-1.16.0-OSX_arm64.tar.bz2
       - name: Install liblsl (windows)
         if: ${{ matrix.os == 'windows' }}
         run: |
@@ -71,58 +74,6 @@ jobs:
           token: ${{ secrets.CODECOV_TOKEN }}
           verbose: true  # optional (default = false)
 
-  pytest-arm64:
-    timeout-minutes: 30
-    strategy:
-      fail-fast: false
-      matrix:
-        python-version: ["3.11"]
-    name: macos-arm64 - py${{ matrix.python-version }}
-    runs-on: macos-14
-    defaults:
-      run:
-        shell: bash
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout repository
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Setup Python ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
-        with:
-          python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-          architecture: 'x64'
-      - name: Install liblsl
-        run: |
-          curl -L https://github.com/sccn/liblsl/releases/download/v1.16.0/liblsl-1.16.0-OSX_arm64.tar.bz2 -o liblsl-1.16.0-OSX_arm64.tar.bz2
-          tar -xf liblsl-1.16.0-OSX_arm64.tar.bz2
-          mv lib/liblsl.1.16.0.dylib .
-          rm -R lib include bin
-          rm liblsl-1.16.0-OSX_arm64.tar.bz2
-      - name: Install dependencies
-        run: |
-          python -m pip install --progress-bar off --upgrade pip setuptools
-          python -m pip install --progress-bar off .[test]
-      - name: Display system information
-        run: mne_lsl-sys_info --developer
-        env:
-          MNE_LSL_LIB: ${{ github.workspace }}/liblsl.1.16.0.dylib
-      - name: Run pytest
-        uses: nick-fields/retry@v3
-        with:
-          timeout_minutes: 10
-          max_attempts: 3
-          command: pytest mne_lsl --cov=mne_lsl --cov-report=xml --cov-config=pyproject.toml -s
-        env:
-          MNE_LSL_LIB: ${{ github.workspace }}/liblsl.1.16.0.dylib
-      - name: Upload to codecov
-        uses: codecov/codecov-action@v4
-        with:
-          files: ./coverage.xml
-          flags: unittests  # optional
-          name: codecov-umbrella  # optional
-          fail_ci_if_error: false  # optional (default = false)
-          token: ${{ secrets.CODECOV_TOKEN }}
-          verbose: true  # optional (default = false)
-
   pytest-pip-pre:
     timeout-minutes: 30
     strategy:
@@ -141,7 +92,6 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-python@v5
         with:
           python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-          architecture: 'x64'
       - name: Install liblsl & linux dependencies
         run: |
           curl -L https://github.com/sccn/liblsl/releases/download/v1.16.2/liblsl-1.16.2-jammy_amd64.deb -o liblsl-1.16.2-jammy_amd64.deb
@@ -193,7 +143,6 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-python@v5
         with:
           python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-          architecture: 'x64'
       - name: Install liblsl (linux)
         run: |
           curl -L https://github.com/sccn/liblsl/releases/download/v1.16.2/liblsl-1.16.2-jammy_amd64.deb -o liblsl-1.16.2-jammy_amd64.deb
diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index 234a0d6f2..63c1336d2 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ repos:
             files: mne_lsl
 
     - repo: https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff-pre-commit
-      rev: v0.4.1
+      rev: v0.4.2
       hooks:
           - id: ruff
             name: ruff linter
diff --git a/mne_lsl/utils/_checks.py b/mne_lsl/utils/_checks.py
index 6c24431b3..4f71aced9 100644
--- a/mne_lsl/utils/_checks.py
+++ b/mne_lsl/utils/_checks.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def ensure_int(item: Any, item_name: Optional[str] = None) -> int:
             raise TypeError
         item = int(operator.index(item))
     except TypeError:
-        item_name = "Item" if item_name is None else "'%s'" % item_name
+        item_name = "Item" if item_name is None else f"'{item_name}'"
         raise TypeError(f"{item_name} must be an integer, got {type(item)} instead.")
 
     return item
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ def check_type(item: Any, types: tuple, item_name: Optional[str] = None) -> None
         else:
             type_name[-1] = "or " + type_name[-1]
             type_name = ", ".join(type_name)
-        item_name = "Item" if item_name is None else "'%s'" % item_name
+        item_name = "Item" if item_name is None else f"'{item_name}'"
         raise TypeError(
             f"{item_name} must be an instance of {type_name}, got {type(item)} instead."
         )
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ def check_value(
         When the value of the item is not one of the valid options.
     """
     if item not in allowed_values:
-        item_name = "" if item_name is None else " '%s'" % item_name
+        item_name = "" if item_name is None else f" '{item_name}'"
         extra = "" if extra is None else " " + extra
         msg = (
             "Invalid value for the{item_name} parameter{extra}. "
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ def check_value(
         )
         allowed_values = tuple(allowed_values)  # e.g., if a dict was given
         if len(allowed_values) == 1:
-            options = "The only allowed value is %s" % repr(allowed_values[0])
+            options = f"The only allowed value is {repr(allowed_values[0])}"
         elif len(allowed_values) == 2:
             options = (
                 f"Allowed values are {repr(allowed_values[0])} "