The base of the monitor is a docking station which can help consolidate a computer's (especially a laptop's) function. For example, if your laptop doesn't come with an ethernet connection, the base of the monitor provides that function via USB 3.0.
"Now you are wondering whats the headphones, mic and Ethernet plug for? Well the monitor is a dock station. You connect it, to any laptop that has USB 3.0. So when you come home with your laptop, you can simply plug the the monitor to the laptop with the USB 3.0 cable, and your HDMI or DisplayPort cable, and your done."
The base of the monitor is a docking station which can help consolidate a computer's (especially a laptop's) function. For example, if your laptop doesn't come with an ethernet connection, the base of the monitor provides that function via USB 3.0.