Does Windows Phone Sync EASILY with Outlook on a Windows 8 PC?

[WPCentral Question]

Hello, As a visitor I am wanting to upgrade to a Windows Phone to work along side my Windows 8 Laptop.

All I want to know is will my Windows phone sync intuitively with Microsoft Outlook? All I want to achieve is to plug my phone into my laptop and have my contacts and calendars sync automatically with my laptop's Outlook contacts and calendars. Thank you.

 

[Laura Knotek]

What version of Outlook are you using?

I'm using Outlook 2013. It is not necessary to connect my Windows Phone to my Windows 8.1 PC via USB. Outlook 2013 syncs seamlessly.

 

[hotphil]

It's not so much syncing with the PC that is "easy" or not, it's how your Outlook is configured. Or more importantly, where (and how) Outlook connects to any server(s).
If you've Outlook 2013 connected to an Outlook.com email account and use that for Mail, Contacts and Calendars then it should all be lovely (you shouldn't even need to plug the phone into the laptop).
But if you're Outlook 2013 is hooked up to, let's say, a GMail account, then it's way more complex.