The Cellet Jelly ($8) is one of the most inexpensive cases we’ve seen yet for the iPhone 4, and while not particularly spectacular in any area, it features solid design (its only flaw being a loose fit) and doesn’t get in the way of using the iPhone, making the case a good value.
Our only complaint about the Cellet Jelly is a semi-loose fit that occasionally allows a corner of the case to slip off when removing from pockets. It’s not the worst fit we’ve seen, and the case will stay on the iPhone in normal use, but it’s nevertheless a minor annoyance. The loose fit also causes the case’s frame around the iPhone’s screen to take on a slightly bent or warped look at times.
But that’s about the only fault we could find with the case. Its most standout feature is not any one design element, but rather that, overall, the case doesn’t get in the way of using the iPhone on an everyday basis. If that seems like a no-brainer design wise, it’s telling that so many case manufacturers get it wrong.
The case is made of flexible silicone rubber that offers average protection. Silicone is great for shock absoprtion, but the Cellet Jelly is rather thin, so while it may be for ok for everyday drops, particularly hard impacts may still damage the iPhone. The rim of the case around the iPhone’s screen sticks out about a centimeter and should take on some of the impact should you drop the iPhone on that side.
In terms of style, the Cellet Jelly doesn’t exactly push any fashion barriers. It has a neat lattice texture on its back, and it’s available in 5 colors (black, white, red, blue, and pink) in case you want to match it to your wardrobe. But we’ve found silicone cases in general seldom display forward thinking in the realm of fashion.
The lattice texture does have the added benefit of greatly improving grip on the iPhone. Silicone has an innate better grip that the smooth surface of the iPhone, and the right surface texture can improve it even more.
The Cellet Jelly is thin and lightweight, maintaining the iPhone 4’s pocketability. But the case does suffer from “lint attraction,” meaning the surface can become fuzzy when it comes into contact with cotton or other fabrics. We’re unsure why some silicone doesn’t experience this problem, but it’s also something that’s never bothered us too much, as a good swipe of the hand is enough to clear it off.
One area where the case is outstanding is that it leaves all the iPhone’s buttons and ports perfectly accessible. The case leaves plenty of room around the iPhone’s camera and LED flash so that there is no light splashback that we’ve experienced with other cases.
The case covers up the iPhone’s sleep and volume buttons with its own silicone buttons, a design choice we tend to like, and which the Cellet Jelly gets right, as the buttons work as expected.
Conclusion
The Cellet Jelly for iPhone 4 ($8) is an all around solid case whose best feature is its affordability and the fact that it doesn’t get in the way with using the iPhone. We felt the case fit a little too loosely, but still well enough we can recommend it. We rate it a 7.3 out of 10, recommended.
