SARAL/AltiKA　(SRL)　is　the　first　altimetry　satellite　with　a　Ka-band　altimeter.　To　validate　the　advantages　of　the　Ka-band　altimeter　over　traditional　Ku-band　altimeters　in　marine　geodetic　applications,　a　comprehensive　analysis　is　carried　out　over　the　South　China　Sea　(SCS)　(0–30° N,　105–125° E)　from　three　aspects,　namely　the　influence　of　load　on　waveforms,　the　precision　of　sea　surface　heights　(SSHs),　and　the　precision　of　altimeter-derived　marine　gravity　field.　Coastal　waveforms　of　SRL,　Jason-2,　and　CryoSat-2　are　separately　compared　with　corresponding　ocean-type　waveforms.　The　radius　of　coastal　influence　on　SSHs　of　SRL/exact　repeat　mission　(SRL/ERM)　is　the　smallest,　being　about　3 km.　Crossover　discrepancies,　global　mean　sea　surface　models,　and　tide　gauge　data　are　used　to　assess　the　precision　of　altimetric　SSHs.　Compared　with　the　SSH　precision　of　Ku-band　Jason-2/ERM,　the　SSH　precision　of　Ka-band　SRL/ERM　is　4.6%　higher　over　the　SCS　and　10%　higher　in　offshore　areas.　Gridded　gravity　anomalies　are　derived　from　measurements　of　SRL/drifting　phase　(SRL/DP)　and　CryoSat-2　through　the　inverse　Vening-Meinesz　formula,　respectively.　According　to　the　assessment　by　shipborne　gravity　data　and　global　marine　gravity　models,　the　precision　of　SRL/DP-derived　gravity　is　higher　than　that　of　CryoSat-2-derived　gravity　over　the　SCS,　especially　in　offshore　areas.　In　some　cycles,　ground　tracks　of　SRL/ERM　have　large　drifting　of　more　than　10 km　from　nominal　tracks.　The　results　show　that　the　Ka-band　altimeter　of　SRL　has　better　precision　in　SSHs　and　marine　gravity　recovery　than　the　Ku-band　altimeter　over　the　SCS,　particularly　in　offshore　areas.　©　2021,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer　Nature　Switzerland　AG.